Las Vegas police are displaying crashed vehicles in front of the department's area commands throughout the valley in the coming weeks with the hope it will remind passers-by to drive carefully and wear seat belts.
The displays are part of a public awareness campaign to draw attention to the facts surrounding traffic deaths.
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The Metropolitan Police Department has already investigated 16 fatal traffic collisions in Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County this year. That's twice as many as were on the books for last year at this time, said Detective Bill Redfairn of the fatal detail. "But that doesn't mean it (the rate) needs to stay that way," he said.
Redfairn said when he is driving his unmarked pickup he constantly see people take chances in vehicles that are unnecessary and don't save that much time. "All they are doing is increasing their chances of being in a car crash" he said.
In 2006, 163 people died in traffic accidents. Failure to yield was the top cause for fatal accidents and speeding was close behind. In 50 percent of fatal accident victims were not wearing their seat belts.
Some motorists are not using seat belts because they believe an air bag will save their lives, but that's a potentially fatal and false assumption, Redfairn said.
"Safety systems are designed to work together," he said. "If you take one out of the equation that spells disaster."
Palm Mortuary is co-sponsoring the campaign to reduce traffic deaths and will be producing ads using the theme "We'd rather wait."
The public safety announcement is in addition to enforcement patrols already being conducted, Redfairn said.
