CLV Podcast

Vision Zero: The Bold Plan to Eliminate Traffic Fatalities by 2050

Why do 10% of Las Vegas roads account for 60% of crashes—and what can we do about it before another life is lost?

In this episode of A Healthier Tomorrow, hosts Will Rucker and Ciara Owens are joined by Lia Grimaldi, Project Manager with the City of Las Vegas Public Works Department, to explore the city’s ambitious Vision Zero initiative and its goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

Lia explains why traffic safety requires more than asking drivers and pedestrians to “be careful.” Vision Zero takes a broader, systems-based approach—using engineering, data, education, planning, and community input to create roads that are safer even when people make mistakes.

The conversation explores how a relatively small percentage of Las Vegas roadways account for the majority of crashes, allowing the city to focus resources where they can make the greatest difference. Lia shares how proactive data analysis helps identify dangerous corridors before another serious collision occurs, and how lower-cost improvements such as speed humps, chicanes, improved crossings, better signage, and increased pedestrian visibility can have a meaningful impact.

The episode also highlights Safe Routes to Schools, an initiative identifying and implementing safety improvements around local schools so children can walk, bike, and travel through their neighborhoods more safely. Lia discusses the role of new technologies, cross-sector partnerships, and collaboration with organizations such as the Southern Nevada Health District in advancing a more coordinated approach to roadway safety.

Just as important, the conversation emphasizes the role residents play. Through tools such as SeeClickFix, community members can report hazards, share concerns, and help decision-makers understand where safety improvements are most urgently needed.

At its heart, this episode asks us to reconsider how we think about traffic deaths. Crashes may not disappear entirely, but mistakes should not cost someone their life. Safer roads are not solely the responsibility of engineers, drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians—they require all of us.

Tune in to learn how Las Vegas is redesigning streets, using data more strategically, and building a culture in which every life on the road matters.

Key Takeaways:

  • Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries in Las Vegas, focusing on an integrated approach involving engineering, education, and community involvement.

  • About 10% of Las Vegas roadways account for 60% of total crashes, highlighting key areas for potential safety improvements.

  • Safe Routes to Schools is a successful initiative identifying and implementing hundreds of safety improvements around schools, promoting safer environments for children.

  • The program's focus on low-cost, efficient safety measures like speed humps and chicanes has been both innovative and impactful.

  • Community input is vital, with platforms like CClickFix facilitating public reporting of traffic safety issues, supporting Vision Zero's proactive and data-driven methods.

Notable Quotes:

  1. "Crashes wont go away entirely, but those mistakes shouldn't result in fatals or serious injury crashes." - Lia Grimaldi

  2. "It takes everyone with regards to traffic safety." - Lia Grimaldi

  3. "We don't have all the funding in the world...but there are also things that we can do that are lower cost." - Lia Grimaldi

  4. "We want to eliminate all fatals and serious injuries by 2050." - Lia Grimaldi

  5. "I'm really proud of our Vision Zero program...in the past four years, we completed 50% of those actions." - Lia Grimaldi

Resources:

Listen to the full episode to hear how Vision Zero is working to make Las Vegas streets safer—and what all of us can do to help prevent the next crash. Then stay connected with A Healthier Tomorrow for more real conversations about the health, safety, and future of our community.