84°F
weather icon Windy
Boulder City, NV
Opinion

I-11 is NOT the Autobahn

By Boulder City Police Department
June 13, 2024 - 5:06 pm
 

When the I-11 highway opened almost six years ago, it alleviated much of the heavy traffic congestion through Boulder City. But this beautiful expanse of open road brought with it a sense that “opening up” and putting the pedal to the metal is OK. It’s not.

Boulder City Police Department is “Joining Forces” once again with participating law enforcement agencies in Nevada for a Joining Forces Speed Awareness Campaign. The campaign is taking place from June 5 – June 21, 2024.

From 2018 to 2022, there were 505 speeding-related fatalities in Nevada, with 350 occurring in Clark County. In fact, speeding is one of the biggest contributors to fatalities on Nevada’s roadways. In 2022, speeding killed 12,151 people nationwide — accounting for 29% of total traffic fatalities.

I-11 is a well-designed roadway with no sight restrictions or hard curves, but the collision rate and fatality rate are quite high. When you speed, your ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous object, or an unexpected curve is reduced. Officers see vehicles travel in excess of 100 mph on I-11 several times a week. At speeds like that, one small move can have devastating impacts. As a result, Boulder City first responders have seen far too many fatal accidents on the highway.

Speeding isn’t just about going faster than the posted speed limit. Speeding includes driving too fast during bad weather conditions such as rain, ice, and snow and jeopardizing your safety and the safety of others on the road. That’s why it’s so important to educate motorists during those high-profile campaigns.

The Joining Forces Speed Awareness Campaign aims to increase law enforcement participation and public safety by coordinating highly visible patrols across the state of Nevada with the goal of raising awareness, educating the motoring public, and saving lives. The Nevada Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) provides funding for law enforcement agencies to participate in Joining Forces to reduce traffic deaths.

Speeding is more than just breaking the law. The consequences are far-ranging:

■ Greater potential for loss of vehicle control.

■ Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger.

■ Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries.

Boulder City Police Department remains dedicated to bringing the number of fatalities on Nevada’s roadways to zero through increasing public awareness about the dangers of speeding, driving unrestrained, impaired driving, distracted driving and more. More information about safe driving and the Nevada Zero Fatalities goal is available online at www.ZeroFatalitiesNV.com.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
bcr default image
Shaka, rattle and roll
By Ron Eland

Earlier this month, it was reported that a couple of minor earthquakes hit Nevada, which should come as no surprise to many considering our proximity to the San Andreas Fault.

bcr default image
That’s good; no, that’s bad
By Rod Woodbury

Have you ever noticed how life can feel perfectly calm, and then suddenly everything hits at once? The calm before the storm is a real phenomenon in nature. The atmosphere often becomes extra still and quiet just before a raging storm breaks. And then, when it finally rains, it often pours, as the saying goes.

bcr default image
Garrett excels in classroom, field, stage
By Melanie Teemant Principal, Garrett Junior High

Garrett Junior High School has been very busy this quarter. Across campus, classrooms are wrapping up their final projects and concluding MAP testing to bring us into the final few days of the school year.

bcr default image
Something new is afloat in Boulder City
By Julie Calloway Parks and Recreation Director

Last week, city staff took the Municipal Pool bubble down for the last time.

bcr default image
Elections with love
By Eric Lundgaard

I was happy to see that Boulder City is going to have an election that provides time for both communicating as well as understanding. It is unresolved until Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Choices for city council should never be ignored or hurried. Our duty as citizens is to objectively apply the best information we have to decide for whom to vote.

bcr default image
Library gearing up for summer
More than Books By the Boulder City Library

This May we have some wonderful programs coming to the library, including the kickoff to the much-anticipated 2026 Summer Reading Program.

bcr default image
A busy spring at Mitchell
By Tracy Echeverria Principal, Mitchell Elementary

As always, the leaders at Mitchell have been busy.

bcr default image
The Mouse, his House and me
By Ron Eland

I’m about to say something that divides many in terms of their opinion. More than should a sandwich be cut horizontally or the diagonal cross-cut. Even more than the question of Coke vs. Pepsi and even more controversial than whether a tomato is a fruit or vegetable.

bcr default image
Challenging (budget) forecast ahead
By Cynthia Sneed, Finance Director

Have you ever called for emergency services in Boulder City? Did you know that on medical calls, the fire department typically sends two or more first responders? The American Heart Association recommends one responder manages the patient’s airway; another monitors cardiac activity; another is responsible for administering medication; and two provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or lift assists as needed. On a heart attack or stroke, up to six responders may be needed.

bcr default image
Your mind matters when you think first
By Rod Woodbury

Once upon a time, I moonlighted as the mayor of Boulder City. But even then, as now, I mostly earned a living as an attorney. As much as I loathe billing clients, it’s obviously necessary in order to put food on my family’s table.