Police target dangerous intersections as traffic deaths rise

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nearly five months after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) revealed the valley’s most dangerous intersections, agency data shows the danger has gotten worse, provoking targeted efforts that drivers may not see coming.

Flamingo Road at Decatur Boulevard in the south-central valley, for one, is a hotspot of collisions and injuries from drivers running steady red lights. A team of 10 LVMPD officers is monitoring the problem during May.

Traffic Bureau Lt. Tony Cavaricci says other intersections have the same problem, but not at this volume. Twenty-three collisions were recorded here from the new year through the end of April.

“It’s car after car after car running through these red lights,” Cavaricci said, standing next to the intersection Thursday morning as another officer scanned traffic. “Each light cycle you’re out here, you can see someone running a red light, someone making a right turn on a red light without stopping, someone on their cell phone.”

Although running red lights is the top violation here, officers also singled out those using their cell phones while driving, turning improperly at a red light and pedestrians crossing without the proper signal. Officers on motorbikes are just past the intersection in all directions awaiting the signal.

“The sergeant will position himself on a corner where he can observe the light cycles, the people in their vehicles. Then we have strategically placed other motor cops around the adjacent streets,” Cavaricci said. “So, when (the sergeant) observes that violation, he’ll call it out to that motor officer who will then conduct a car stop for whatever the violation is.”

Thursday morning alone, over 100 citations were issued near Flamingo and Decatur to drivers and pedestrians, according to LVMPD:

• Moving violations: 54

• Red light violations: 28

• Cell phone usage while driving: 14

• Other citations (pedestrians crossing against the signal, no insurance, no drivers license, etc.): 16

The tickets cost up to $500 each, per state law. These traffic violations became civil infractions in Nevada in 2023.

Traffic fatalities this year are on pace to beat the total from last year.

As of May 3, LVMPD reported 59 road fatalities, which is over 33% more than the 44 road fatalities recorded that time last year. In just the past week, two more have been reported.

Reckless driving and pedestrians crossing the street where and when they are not supposed to have become leading causes of these fatalities.

“We just can’t keep up with all the violators. So, we’re stopping what we can with the manpower that we have out here,” Cavaricci said. “The citizens have to play a big part in combating what we’re seeing.”

Despite the shortcomings in officers, Cavaricci said enforcement operations like this will continue throughout all hot spot intersections valley-wide.

“Some drivers may have an excuse. Some drivers don’t. Realistically, there’s not a valid reason for running a red light when you’re putting so many people in danger,” Cavaricci said. “Anybody who violates the law, we’re stopping.”

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill voiced his support this year to revisit another Nevada law that prohibits the use of red-light cameras to cite drivers. Cavaricci says the department is researching the effectiveness of these cameras from other states that use them.

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