LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As part of a new enforcement effort this holiday season, you'll likely see more officers and even state troopers on our valley roads and freeways.
This effort will be going on now through Jan. 5, specifically targeting impaired drivers and getting them off our roadways, to keep you and your family safe.
WATCH | Ryan Ketcham talks to Nevada Highway Patrol State Trooper Shawn Haggstrom about impaired drivers in the Las Vegas valley
Locals tell me they hope this campaign will help make our streets safer.
“I think it’s a good idea, I think it’s a great idea," said Downtown Las Vegas resident Denise Bechtel.
She says this enforcement is needed.
Bechtel tells me she has lived in downtown for about a year and four months.
She's 75 and walks these streets daily.
I asked her if it was a conscious decision not to drive in the valley to avoid any bad drivers.
“Yes, yes, part of it, yeah," said Bechtel.
Despite only walking, she's had some close calls.
“I had one when I fell in the street one day and a car came like 2 feet in front of me, almost hit me," said Bechtel.
She's okay and says she'd still rather walk than deal with drivers.
Police are doing their part to try and change that narrative. This holiday season, the whole valley will come together for this new campaign.
North Las Vegas Police, CCSD Police, Metro Police, Henderson Police and Nevada State Police are all coming together to target impaired drivers from Dec. 16 through Jan. 5.
This is an annual effort they put forward to help during a deadly time of the year.
“So you’re going to see extra officers and troopers out on the roadways during the holiday season," said Nevada Highway Patrol State Trooper Shawn Haggstrom.
Haggstrom says the main goal is to remove as many impaired drivers off the road, to stop deadly crashes and keep our valley families whole.
“It’s actually disgusting, you know what I mean, because you know if you see a child that is your child’s age, you know I’ve been to those fatals and it’s just heart struck," said Haggstrom. "You have to think that child’s never going to grow their whole life and that family is going to be devastated the whole thing. People have to understand there’s consequences to your actions every time.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows Christmas and New Year's Eve as two of the most deadly and highest DUI rate times of the year.
In 2023, the NHTSA shows 1,038 people died from drunk driver crashes in the U.S. in December alone.
Bechtel hopes this effort brings change.
“I used to love Vegas, I wish it would come back the way it was," said Bechtel.
Police tell me this is just one of many steps they're actively taking to make our streets safer.
This campaign is happening just a week after all these law enforcement agencies joined forces to create the Southern Nevada Traffic Task Force.
This task force targets distracted and reckless driving, speeding and DUIs across our valley. This task force has no end date, but it will also result in more officers and state troopers out on our roadways.
