Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/las-vegas-jaywalking-debate-heats-up-over-metros-enforcement-pause/
Reform Sparks Enforcement Overhaul (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Las Vegas – Residents and safety advocates question whether a hands-off approach to jaywalking by Metro police has contributed to rising pedestrian risks on the city’s streets.
Reform Sparks Enforcement Overhaul
Nevada lawmakers decriminalized jaywalking in 2021 through Assembly Bill 403. The measure shifted the violation from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction carrying a maximum fine of $100.[1]
Officers previously issued citations more frequently. That changed in 2023 when Metropolitan Police Department Undersheriff Andrew Walsh instructed personnel to cease citing or detaining jaywalkers. Walsh argued in an interview that aggressive enforcement showed little link to improved safety.[1]
The directive reflected broader priorities amid limited resources. Police focused instead on driver behaviors such as speeding, which data linked to most fatal crashes. Still, the policy left a void in pedestrian accountability.
Fatalities Climb Amid Ambiguous Trends
Pedestrian deaths in Las Vegas reached 64 last year, up from prior declines. A report from KURU Footwear ranked the city third among the nation’s most dangerous for pedestrians.[1]
Historical data paints a complex picture. Citations tripled between 2017 and 2018 as fatalities fell from 68 to 53. By 2021, enforcement dropped nearly 90 percent, yet deaths continued to decrease initially.
| Year | Pedestrian Fatalities | Citations… |
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-10 22:13:00
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