LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County School District is reporting a significant increase in students being hit by vehicles this school year, with 201 minors injured as of Dec. 1, compared to 120 for the entire 2023-2024 school year.
WATCH | Hailey Gravitt reports on what the district said could be causing the increase:
The alarming statistics come as the man accused of hitting and killing 12-year-old Cristofer Suarez had a competency hearing Wednesday morning, bringing school safety back into the spotlight.
CCSD says several factors are driving the higher numbers:
- Better reporting between jurisdictions,
- More e-bike and e-scooter crashes, and
- Injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening
- Pedestrian error
- More students getting distracted on their way to and from school
Police say Oh'ryan Brooks crashed into Suarez while the boy was walking to school and then drove off. After the wreck, community members rallied for safer streets, and it didn't take long for several changes to get implemented.
WATCH | Ryan Ketcham spoke to a local who passes the area daily to hear his thoughts:
Oh'Ryan's hearing brings renewed focus to school safety concerns. The Suarez tragedy is just one of four deadly accidents CCSD has seen this school year.
Overall, the district is urging families and drivers to stay alert in school zones. This is a shared responsibility between all of us. Drive slow, keep both eyes on the wheel and stay vigilant when driving not just in school zones, but across the valley.
