Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) - From January 1st 2021 through April 6th, 2021; Nevada Highway Patrol – Southern Command Responded to 139 wrong way driver calls. During the same time frame last year (January 1st 2020 through April 6th 2020); NHPSC responded to 128 wrong-way calls.
Given this disturbing trend and in an effort to protect Nevada motorists, the Nevada Highway Patrol recommends the following:
Slow Down. Driving at a high rate of speed decreases the time you have to recognize and react to a wrong way driver approaching you. A vehicle traveling at 55 miles per hour covers the distance of a football field every 4.6 seconds. The slower you are driving, the more reaction time you will have.
Call *NHP. If you observe a vehicle traveling wrong way or counter flow to traffic on a highway, call the Nevada Highway Patrol directly in order to save precious seconds or even minutes versus calling 9-11. If you are on a surface street, please call 9-11.
Avoid Distracted Driving. Do not use any electronic devices while driving. Using a cell phone while driving divides your attention and prevents you from immediately recognizing potential hazards.
Drive Defensively. Drive defensively, always looking out for possible hazards, the sooner you recognize a wrong way driver approaching you, the more reaction time you have.
Avoid the Fast Lane. It is recommended that drivers on the highway avoid staying in the fast lane, especially during the overnight hours. Many fatal wrong way crashes occur in the far-left travel lane.
NHP says that most wrong way drivers have been found to be impaired.
According to Nevada Office of Traffic Safety data, 90% of the wrong way fatal crashes that occurred in 2019 involved an impaired driver.