LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — With a week into the new year, locals say the calendar may have changed, but the dangers on Las Vegas roadways have not.
Speeders, drunk drivers, and everyone in a rush are just some of the concerns residents have voiced heading into 2025.
It was a deadly start to 2026, with three fatal crashes occurring on New Year's Day alone.
I broke down those crashes and how drivers reacted:
The mounting dangers behind the wheel are now pushing the city's youngest drivers to question their safety on local streets.
Here's what one local driving school is doing to help:
"When I get behind the wheel, I get pretty nervous, especially because the road rage has kind of upped it," said Evely Marquez, a young driver. "Even though I've been driving for a little while now, I still feel a little scared and sometimes unsafe on the roads."
In her short time driving, Marquez has noticed troubling behaviors on the roads that concern her and other new drivers.
"At the end of the day, we're all in the car because we have to get somewhere. I understand the rush, but I do wish that people would be more considerate of the newer drivers who are a little timid on the roads," she said.
Other teens share similar mixed emotions about learning to drive in Las Vegas.
One student expressed being "nervous about all the drivers here because drivers in Vegas, they're very, very aggressive at times, but I'm excited to start driving. People aren't particularly patient with the young drivers."
Law Enforcement Experience Makes the Difference
That's where John Holcomb with Cantor's Driving School comes in. The school has one unique quality that sets it apart from competitors – each instructor is retired law enforcement.
"All of us being law enforcement officers, not only have we been on the street for a very long time, but we've enforced traffic laws, we've investigated crashes, sometimes horrific ones," Holcomb explained.
His experience investigating accidents gives him particular insight into the most dangerous scenarios on Las Vegas roads.
"The most devastating crashes I've personally seen have been people running red lights at a very high speed and somebody just getting a green and entering the intersection at a very low speed," he said. "That T-bone situation is very, very dangerous, causes a lot of damage and a lot of injury."
This real-world experience shapes how Holcomb teaches defensive driving techniques to his students.
"That's why I'm a big stickler on if we're at that number one car at the red, we're not going right away. We're going to give it time just in case somebody wants to come flying through the intersection – we're not going to be there," he said.
Vegas Driving Challenges
Holcomb says Las Vegas drivers present unique challenges for new students learning the rules of the road.
"I see very impatient people. I see people that don't want to stop for the red light. I see people who don't want to let us change lanes in front," he observed.
Despite these challenges, his approach focuses on building confidence through patience and clear instruction.
"We go when it's safe. Don't let any other driver force you into any kind of behavior," Holcomb teaches his students. "I always want to be defensive with how we drive out here, and the students get it."
His success comes from adapting to each student's needs and experience level, regardless of their starting point.
"There's nobody that I've gotten into the car with yet that we haven't been able to improve drastically within two lessons," he said.
For Holcomb, the responsibility of teaching young drivers goes beyond just passing a test.
"I am keeping these kids safe while they're with me for two hours regardless of the area we're in. I'm going to make sure that we're safe," he said.
As Las Vegas continues to see traffic fatalities, driving instructors like Holcomb play a crucial role in preparing the next generation of drivers to navigate the city's challenging roadways safely.
