Pershing County highways safer than last year State, local officials working together

Pershing County highways safer than last year State, local officials working together

Pershing County highways safer than last year State, local officials working together

LOVELOCK - Are Pershing County highways safer than last year? Sheriff Rich Machado says yes.

"It has a lot to do with diligence of the state and the work they have been doing along the highway to make it safer," Machado said.

Preliminary numbers from the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) show that traffic deaths are down from last year both county and statewide.

According to the 2011 NDOT Fatal Crashes Report released Jan. 3, there were 243 fatalities on Nevada roads in 2011; this compared to 257 traffic deaths in 2010. Fatal crashes decreased 50 percent in Pershing County. In 2010 four people died in automobile accidents as opposed to two people in 2011.

Neither of the two 2011 fatalities were alcohol related; one of the fatalities in 2010 was reported to be alcohol related, according to the NDOT report.

Machado also believes the decrease is partly due to the pro-active efforts of the Pershing County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office has been pro-active in pulling over and educating drivers about speed reduction, wearing their seat belts, not talking on their cell phones and the dangers of drinking and driving, Machado said.

NDOT plans to implement more than 80 safety strategies and action steps over the next few years as part of the Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP).

The SHSP brings Nevada traffic and safety agencies and advocates together to reduce the yearly traffic fatality average by 62 by 2015, with the ultimate goal of zero traffic deaths on Nevada roads.

"We as transportation and safety professionals continue working every day to make roads as safe as possible with engineering, enforcement, education and emergency medical solutions," said Traci Pearl, administrator of the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

"One death on Nevada roads is too many, and we are working together to reach zero fatalities," Nevada Department of Transportation Director Susan Martinovich said. "This year, Nevada publicly launched our Zero Fatalities goal. As part of Zero Fatalities, traffic safety stakeholders across the state are using updated strategies to save lives."

Some of the strategies already implemented include continued stepped-up traffic safety enforcement events by the Nevada Highway Patrol and all of the state's local law enforcement agencies through the Office of Traffic Safety's Joining Forces program; implementation of a statewide handheld cell phone ban while driving; nearly 3,000 miles of centerline rumble strips installed on state and road safety audits.

"We are out there every day to enhance safety, but safety ultimately relies on everyone using the road," NDOT Chief Safety Engineer Chuck Reider said.

More information about the SHSP and Zero Fatalities programs can be found at the NDOT website, nevadadot.com.

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