LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo is pushing for zero fatalities on the state's roads — a goal that comes just days after a deadly motorcycle crash in Las Vegas last Monday.
New numbers from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police show 41 traffic fatalities have been recorded since January 1, 2026. Twelve of those deaths involved motorcycles or mopeds. Police say excessive speed and failing to yield are among the top causes of deadly crashes.
WATCH | Nevada pushes for zero motorcycle fatalities as deadly crashes rise in Las Vegas
City and state leaders say as the weather starts to warm up in the valley, more motorcyclists will be on the roads. They warn that not being aware of your surroundings could turn deadly for you or someone else.
Justin McDonald with the Nevada Rider Motorcycle Safety Program says the roadway should be a safe space for everyone.
"The roadway shouldn't be a place where people should die," McDonald said.
McDonald says preliminary data shows motorcyclists make up roughly 20% of all roadway fatalities in Nevada, despite accounting for only about 3% of all registered vehicles in the state.
"Preliminary data shows that we're roughly 20% of all roadway fatalities, yet we're roughly 3% of all registered vehicles in the state. So motorcycle rider safety, it's so important," McDonald said.
He says riders and drivers alike need to stay alert and watch out for one another.
"They're going to be next to you. They're going to be in front of you, behind you. So remember to be aware. Remember to look for them," McDonald said.
His message for everyone sharing the road is simple.
"Riding a motorcycle should be fun, but get there safe should be our ultimate goal," McDonald said.
Niguel Williams has been riding motorcycles since 1975 and received his license in 1990.
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"My uncle Aaron taught me. I've got, I received my license in 1990 and I've been riding pretty much every day since 2006," Williams said.
His passion for riding eventually became a career. Williams is now a Motorcycle Safety Specialist with the College of Southern Nevada, a role he has held since the beginning of the year.
"I started off as a part-time rider coach in October of 2008, and I've been fulfilling my current role as a specialist since, uh, the first of the year," Williams said.
Williams says the program places a strong emphasis on the mental side of riding.
"We put a lot of emphasis on the, uh, mental aspect of it, uh, making good decisions, thinking of thinking of ways to make good decisions and planning before you even get on the machine," Williams said.
He says part of his mission is changing the public's perception of motorcyclists.
"It's our responsibility to ride in a safe manner, in a predictable manner, and to kind of dispel a lot of the myths of the bad biker," Williams said.
For Williams, the work is personal.
"If I can arm someone with a set of skills that can help prevent, uh, a fatality. A crash, a mishap, or just to put motorcycling in a positive light to the public, then I, even if it's just one person, I've done my job," Williams said.
Safety experts recommend the following precautions for both riders and drivers:
- Wear proper safety gear
- Wear bright or reflective clothing
- Stay a safe following distance from other vehicles
- Signal your movements clearly
- Look twice for motorcycles before turning or changing lanes
- Use extra caution at intersections
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