LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A deadly issue continues to plague Las Vegas Valley roads. The number of wrong-way drivers continues to increase.
According to the Nevada State Police, the numbers have gone up consistently over the past few years.
- 2020 — Nevada State Police recorded a total of 713
- 2021 — Nevada State Police recorded a total of 755
- 2022 — Nevada State Police recorded a total of 823
- 2023 — Currently reported 70
This year, troopers said they have already stopped or responded to crashes involving 70 wrong-way drivers. The most recent was a deadly crash on the 215 Beltway that killed two people and injured three others this past weekend.
A study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found between 2010 and 2018, which was the most recent data, found there were 3,885 deaths from 2,921 wrong-way crashes in the U.S. with more than half of those killed being the wrong-way driver.
Alcohol impairment and older age, especially 70 and older, increased the odds of being a wrong-way driver.
The Nevada Department of Transportation is taking action to decrease the number of wrong-way drivers by adding new radar technology along U.S. 95 and I-15.