Law enforcement agencies across Nevada, including the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Nevada Highway Patrol, and now the Sparks Police Department, are participating in a statewide Joining Forces Speed Awareness Campaign from July 1 through July 20.
The campaign aims to reduce crashes and save lives by targeting one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities: speeding.
In 2024, Nevada recorded 419 traffic deaths, with excessive speed listed among the top contributing factors.
Participating agencies will conduct high-visibility patrols throughout the state to raise awareness, educate drivers, and enforce speed limits.
The Sparks Police Department emphasized that the campaign seeks to increase public safety through coordinated enforcement and education efforts.
“Speeding isn’t just about going faster than the posted speed limit, it also includes driving too fast for road or weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or ice,” officials noted.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was responsible for over 12,000 fatalities and more than 326,000 injuries nationwide in 2021.
In Nevada, it continues to be one of the leading contributors to fatal crashes.
“Driving at excessive speeds reduces a driver’s ability to maintain control, increases stopping distance, and makes crashes more severe,” said officials from participating agencies.
The campaign is part of Nevada’s broader Zero Fatalities initiative, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths statewide.
In addition to speeding, the campaign also highlights the dangers of impaired and distracted driving, failure to wear seatbelts, and other risky behaviors behind the wheel.
The initiative is funded by the Nevada Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety through the Joining Forces program, which supports collaborative efforts across law enforcement agencies to improve road safety.
For more information on safe driving and Nevada’s Zero Fatalities goal, visit www.ZeroFatalitiesNV.com.
