CSN classes aim to drive down number of accidents

Las Vegas traffic can drive even the most patient person crazy. If it’s not a never-ending series of red lights, it’s construction on the freeway or motorists disregarding driving etiquette.

However, driving safely is still important. More than 2,800 collisions were reported in Las Vegas between Jan. 1 and Feb. 18, according to Larry Hadfield, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesman. Of these accidents, 1,270 caused injuries.

In an effort to keep the roads safer, the College of Southern Nevada plans to host a number of traffic safety courses through April that are set to reduce license demerit points and insurance rates for participants.

“The course is five hours long, and the purpose is to pretty much clean up your record,” said CSN senior specialist Le Quanda Cole. “It’s open to the entire Las Vegas community. That’s what we’re here for.”

The class is approved by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and is taught by retired police officer Joanna Needham and CSN automotive instructor Edgardo Rapalo.

“This class is curriculum-based,” Cole said. “It’s not a defensive driving course. It’s for people who have some sort of infraction on their license or who want to lower their insurance costs.

“People who just want safety refreshers or who want to learn before taking their driving test are also welcome to attend.”

Class participants are set to learn Nevada statutes while completing activities, such as crossword puzzles, bingo and tasks wearing Fatal Vision impairment goggles.

“(Participants) learn how distracted we are as drivers and that in a second, anything can happen,” Cole said. “Students will also learn that a lot of the time, the accidents are the pedestrian’s fault; however, it is still our responsibility to be aware of the pedestrian that’s not paying attention.”

Participants may take the course only once every 12 months to reduce demerit points and have a maximum of three points removed at a time, though the conviction will remain part of their driving history, according to the Nevada DMV.

Participants must pass a driving safety test at the end of the class in order to be eligible for demerit removal or insurance deductions.

“Different violations have different demerit values, which can range anywhere from one to eight points each,” Cole said. “Participants can only have their points reduced if they’re not court-ordered to attend the program.”

There were 109 traffic fatalities in 2012, according to the Metropolitan Police Department’s annual report. Common factors included improper driving, pedestrian error and excessive speed.

Intersections with the most reported accidents include Charleston and Lamb boulevards, Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard, Tropicana Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard, Tropicana Avenue and Decatur Boulevard and Tropicana and Eastern avenues.

“Do not drive distracted, which means no using your cellphone or texting,” Hadfield said. “Pay attention to all speed limits. They’re there for a reason. Obey all traffic control devices and traffic laws. Most importantly, be courteous while driving.”

The classes are designed to promote community awareness, according to Cole.

“It’s important to acknowledge that we have some very high statistics in Las Vegas as far as traffic accidents and fatalities go,” Cole said. “CSN, being an educational institution, wanted to have some type of impact on those numbers, so we created this program.

“At the end of the day, even if we have one student, we feel like we’re making a difference and getting those (statistics) down.”

Classes are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 15, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 7 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 at CSN’s Sahara West center, 2409 Las Verdes St. A class is set to be offered in Spanish from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 30. The cost is $25 per person.

For more information or to register, call 702-651-4021.

Contact Southwest/Spring Valley View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403.