Authorities mount traffic safety campaign after 8 deaths in 3 days

The Nevada Department of Public Safety is conducting a media campaign across Southern Nevada this week to promote traffic safety education after eight deaths in crashes over a three-day period.

Andrew Bennett, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Public Safety and the Office of Traffic Safety, said the agency has had this campaign set up since June 1, but this is the first time it’s being used. The rapid response initiative will include advertisements on TV, radio, social media and digital billboards around town, as well as a homepage takeover of reviewjournal.com over the next three days.

“It’s a really important conversation,” Bennett said. “We need to create the conversation and get people to care about traffic safety after a weekend like we just had.”

Bennett said the Nevada Highway Patrol investigated four fatal crashes from Thursday to Saturday, while the Metropolitan Police Department the Henderson Police Department responded to three and one, respectively. Zero fatalities were reported on Southern Nevada roadways on Sunday and Monday, he said.

Zero Fatalities NV, a public safety group managed by the Office of Traffic Safety, noted the high fatality rates in a tweet on Sunday evening.

“The news of these senseless fatalities is heart-wrenching and disappointing,” the group said in a tweet. “These crashes demonstrate a glaring lack of accountability, responsibility, and respect for life within our community that must be addressed.”

Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter.