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Deadly weekend on Las Vegas valley roads

Posted at 11:35 PM, Jan 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-14 10:20:21-05

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas Police are investigating their 7th traffic-related fatality so far this year and and one lieutenant says 2019 could be the department’s deadliest year yet for traffic-related fatalities.

In total, there have been five fatal crashes across the Las Vegas valley this weekend alone.

As recently as Sunday around 3 in the afternoon, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says a car pulled out in front of truck trying to cross Lake Mead near Lamb.

The impact of the crash sent a 49-year-old female driver and an eight-year-old who was also in the car to the hospital.

The driver was pronounced dead at UMC Trauma. The eight-year-old is also at UMC Trauma, but is expected to survive.

The driver of the truck left with minor injuries.

“We’re in line for the deadliest year in our history," says Lt. Bret Ficlin.

Ficlin of the Traffic Division says the high number of fatal crashes in their jurisdiction this year alone is simply unacceptable.

13 Action News asked: What can be done?

“We can’t be everywhere at all times. The other problem is we can’t cite our way out of this. The only way that we can do this is for the public to take control of their driving habits,” says Ficlin.

Lt. Ficlin says this is a valley-wide issue, and will take a community effort to stop these crashes from happening.

His hope is that drivers will lose the distractions and keep their eyes on the road.

“We need to start paying attention to our driving habits because these are violent acts and they need to stop.”