Negligent urban planning and poor roadway conditions are responsible for thousands of deadly accidents to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists every year.
Better Roadway Designs Increase Safety
Poor road design and lack of regular road maintenance increase driving hazards that injure and kill thousands of American drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists each year. City planners have a responsibility to promote safer environments by designing well-planned roadways with proper maintenance that protect drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists from accidents and injuries.
When city roadways create dangerous conditions, urban planners can design safer roadways with features that reduce traffic accidents and injuries:
- Improved traffic signals
- Control signals at pedestrian crosswalks
- Wider sidewalks
- Pedestrian bridges and barriers
- Speed bumps
- Brighter street lighting
In Nevada, Henderson personal injury lawyers handle many car collisions caused by damaged pavement and potholes, poorly lit roadways, inoperable traffic signals, and lack of pedestrian crosswalks. Despite the significant impact on traffic safety, many Nevada roads need repairs and impact safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Although urban planners do not control roadway conditions, they do work closely with state transportation officials to promote traffic safety. In Nevada, the Office of Traffic Safety is recognized as the federal highway safety office for the state. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is responsible for regular repairs and maintenance on Nevada roadways. NDOT focuses on highway traffic safety, connectivity, and mobility for all Nevada state roads.
NDOT implements Safety Management Plans throughout the state by collecting and analyzing crash data, roadway engineering data, and public accessibility. The main goal is to improve roadway conditions, so drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists have safe, secure access to shared areas. NDOT is also responsible for the maintenance of all state roads. Regular duties include accident traffic control, paving repairs and maintenance, repainting of centerlines and yellow/red zones, snow removal, and other road maintenance tasks that prevent car accidents that cause personal injuries and deaths.
Designing better traffic flow, maintaining roadway conditions, reducing traffic speeds in high-pedestrian areas, giving pedestrians safe walking spaces, and designating safe bicycle lanes can prevent thousands of deaths each year in Henderson and cities across the country. When city planning is proactive, cities and taxpayers save millions of dollars on repairs and improvements and fatal accidents for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists are reduced.