Nevada advisory committee lists 10 traffic‑safety priorities, adds DUI intervention program

The Nevada Advisory Committee on Traffic Safety presented its annual report and policy priorities to the Senate Committee on Growth and Infrastructure on March 1, 2025, urging a mix of legislative changes and jurisdictional actions to reduce traffic fatalities statewide.

The committee’s vice chair, Julia Peek, deputy administrator for the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, said the group, known as NVAC, compiles data and best practices and produces a public annual report for the governor and the Legislative Counsel Bureau. “We spend our meetings reviewing data, best practices to address traffic safety, and policies that may positively impact traffic safety in Nevada,” Peek said.

NVAC chair Andrew Bennett, director of the Clark County Office of Traffic Safety, told senators the committee now includes “over 20 member agencies” and that its work supports statewide policy recommendations and local implementation. Bennett said NVAC has a current list of 10 safety priorities and that the committee recently added a policy priority focused on a Fostering DUI Interventions Program to improve screening and treatment for people who may be driving under the influence.

Why it matters: Nevada’s traffic‑fatality rate has risen even as travel and population have increased. NVAC officials said the committee relies on multiple datasets and producing policy guidance helps state and local agencies coordinate countermeasures, from roadway design changes to enforcement and public education.

Key priorities and details - Automated enforcement and school‑zone cameras: Bennett described “road safety cameras” as proven technology and listed advancing automated enforcement statewide and focused deployment in school zones as top priorities. He said the committee prefers the neutral term “road safety cameras.” - School‑zone fines and crossings: NVAC recommends clarifying what constitutes higher fines in school zones and addressing both painted and implied crosswalks; Bennett told Senator Pizzina the change would apply “for both painted crosswalks and implied crosswalks.” - Primary seatbelt law: Bennett said Nevada is “one of the 15 states that currently still does not have” a primary seatbelt law and listed adopting primary enforcement as a committee priority. - Young‑driver policies and pedestrian safety: NVAC identified changes to young‑driver processes and pedestrian rules — noting Nevada is currently a “yield” state for pedestrians — as policy areas for review. The committee said some states have moved from a yield standard to one requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians. - Traffic records and data sharing: NVAC emphasized the need to improve traffic records so law‑enforcement, court and other partners supply consistent data to inform policy. - DUI screening/intervention program: The newly added Fostering DUI Interventions Program is intended to expand screening and treatment referrals for people identified as DUI risks. - Safe‑systems intersection work and speed‑setting guidance: The committee recommended nonlegislative actions jurisdictions can adopt now, including safer intersection design and work to better define appropriate speed limits for all road users.

Data and measurement: NVAC uses multiple measures, including normalized fatality rates reported to the federal government. Sandra Rosenberg, deputy director for planning and administration at the Nevada Department of Transportation, said some measures NVAC and NDOT report use vehicle‑miles traveled and are expressed per 100,000,000 vehicle miles traveled.

Working groups and participation: Bennett described three working groups NVAC uses to dive deeper on topics. The citation working group, formed after an NTSB recommendation, was open to nonmembers; Bennett said by the committee’s bylaws working groups may include participants who are not NVAC members. He said an equity working group is chaired by Amy Davey (State Highway Safety Office) and that lists of working‑group participants appear in the NVAC annual report.

Questions from senators focused on measurement of fatalities relative to population and miles driven, the committee’s outreach to jurisdictions with falling fatality counts, and how NVAC balances statewide recommendations with local authority over speed limits and school‑zone settings. Bennett and Rosenberg said speed limits are typically set by the road owner and that school zones are currently defined by state law (Bennett described school‑zone limits as “15 miles an hour in front of a school and 25 miles an hour in a defined crossing zone”).

NVAC materials: The annual report and presentation are available online at zerofatalitiesnv.com under the committee resources section, the presenters said. NVAC requested that senators and staff send any exhibits or written materials within 24 hours so members will receive them.

The committee did not propose specific statutory language before the Senate committee during the presentation; NVAC officials said they expect to return with bill proposals and further testimony later in the legislative session.