Nevada roadway deaths increase; down in Carson City

The number of people killed in Nevada car crashes increased by 30 to 321 in 2015.

But a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation said when compared with the number of miles driven in Nevada, traffic deaths have actually decreased. There were 1.54 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 2008. That number dropped to 1.13 fatalities in 2013, the most recent year for which total vehicle miles traveled is available.

Just two of those fatal crashes in 2015 were in Carson City, one of them a pedestrian. That’s a significant decrease from the five deaths reported for 2014.

Douglas, however, had a much worse year in 2015, recording eight fatalities compared to just three the year before.

In Churchill and Storey counties, the count was the same as the previous year — four and two respectively — while Washoe County saw a decrease from 38 to 36 traffic deaths.

Most of the increase, understandably, came from Nevada’s most populous county, Clark, which reported 204 fatalities in 2015 compared to 174 in 2014.

Preliminary data indicates the number of alcohol related fatalities dropped from 81 to 61 in 2015.

NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon said the only acceptable goal for Nevada is zero fatalities.

But NHP Trooper Duncan Dauber said that goal depends on every driver.

“We will continue our efforts to remind everyone to focus on the road and share the road,” he said.