Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) - The Western States Traffic Safety Coalition (WSTSC) will begin a special effort this week to identify and address the dangers of excessive speeds on our highways.
Although many drivers stayed off the roads during the pandemic, those who did drive were the cause of a steep rise in roadway deaths with excessive speed at the heart of many crashes. Twelve State Patrols across the west, including Nevada’s, have come together again to partner as the Western States Traffic Safety Coalition (WSTSC) in a joint speed education and enforcement initiative June 25th, 26th and 27th.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused people to drive less in 2020, many of those who did drive were driving much faster. Coalition members have seen the consequences of this trend firsthand, most notably a surge in vehicles traveling at 100 mph or more. Excess speed is a major factor contributing to serious and fatal crashes for drivers of all ages, along with speeding-related vehicle rollovers.
As the nation opens and more people hit the roads, law enforcement agencies say they’gll be proactive in helping bring speeds and subsequent crashes down. The partnership established by the WSTSC is initiating a coordinated speed education and enforcement campaign across western states starting on Friday, June 25th and concluding on Sunday, June 27th. These dates were chosen to help prevent risky driving behaviors leading into the July 4th holiday