Distracted driving and walking hinder roadway safety

16 people have died as a result of traffic crashes and accidents as of March 1, in LVMPD's jurisdiction.

Of those crashes, 8 of them involved pedestrians, and according to Lt. Bret Ficklin, the pedestrians were at fault in 7 of the incidents.

The reason for the incidents varies, but Ficklin says pedestrians should make sure to always be looking up and around, and not down at their phones.

"The message we want to get out for pedestrian safety is for our walking public to be in the moment and aware of their surroundings when they are on the roadway," he said. "It is not a time to have their head buried in a phone or to have their attention diverted to other distractions."