Las Vegas Police Focus on 12 Deadliest Intersections to Reduce Traffic Deaths

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has launched a new targeted traffic enforcement initiative aimed at curbing deadly crashes in the city's most dangerous areas. The program focuses on the 12 intersections with the highest number of serious and fatal accidents over the past three years, including Charleston Boulevard and Decatur Boulevard, Flamingo Road and Rainbow Road, and Las Vegas Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue.

There have been 108 deaths on the roads in the metro jurisdiction so far this year. “Those are family members. Those are people. It's not just a number,” shared LVMPD Traffic Lieutenant Cody Fulwiler.

This push comes after a Dec. 12, 2024, tragedy, when LVMPD Officer Colton Pulsipher was killed while driving home to his wife and children. He was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on I-15 who was under the influence. “Person had been drinking and driving through our valley, through the streets… He was actually riding through and trying to prevent from what ultimately happened to him. This person drove through two of the intersections that we've identified,” Lieutenant Fulwiler revealed.

To combat the crisis, Metro has reassigned officers from their regular duties, including those from investigative units, to patrol these intersections multiple times each week. Their focus is on stopping speeding, failure to yield, and impaired driving. 

“Not only patrol officers, but officers normally assigned to investigative bureaus going out multiple days throughout the week and multiple different shifts… it's been very successful so far as we just started this in the beginning of August and we're going to continue this for the year,” Lieutenant Fulwiler said.

In addition to increased enforcement, local officials are introducing safety improvements, such as installing fences to prevent jaywalking along Boulder Highway and widening streets in the Medical District. Last year, 160 people were killed in traffic-related incidents across the region. With the holidays approaching, authorities are working to prevent a spike in alcohol- and party-related crashes. 

Their goal is to keep traffic deaths under 125 by the end of 2025.