There Has Been a Disturbing Increase in Bike Fatalities, Prompting Calls for Change in Many Areas of Our Community

LAS VEGAS – On Wednesday, Nevada State Police released a report detailing a disturbing increase in bike fatalities; this trend has prompted calls for reform from members of our community.

“A lot of Las Vegas is not bike friendly,” Yevgeniya Khomyakova said to 8 News Now.

Khomyakova is a local who lives near the scene of the terrible incident that occurred on Friday at the intersection of Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road.

A 27-year-old man named Marco Benitez allegedly drove drunk when he crashed into 10 vehicles and killed 2 bikers near the crossroads.

This has sparked yet another debate about how to make our roadways safer in Southern Nevada.

As of the end of October 2022, 11 bicyclists had lost their lives in Clark County, which was more than double the number from the same period in 2021, according to the Nevada State Police’s Fatal Report.

Rob Hutchinson, a representative for the Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition, said, “It’s beyond aggravating.” Because we put in effort every day

The most important factor is always the motorist, but he also thinks broader bike lanes with buffers can save lives.

“Those sorts of things make people move more slowly,” he said. Plus, “And if you have an accident, the chances of a death will be a lot less.”

Khomyakova encourages cyclists always to put safety first and she wants drivers to be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Khomyakova concluded, “There are poor people who don’t have money to buy an automobile.” This means that “they just run errands on their bikes.”

Benitez has been charged with multiple counts of negligent driving resulting in death, two counts of driving under the influence causing death, three counts of failing to stop at the scene of an accident with death or personal injury, and one count of failing to stop at the scene of an accident with vehicle or property damage.

He remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center with no chance of release.

Credits: 8 News Now