Valley Driving: The Last Four Years
I have lived in Las Vegas for almost 5 years now, and I am wondering, is it just me or has traffic improved here?
I feel like when I first moved here in April of 2004 the traffic and amount of accidents threw me. It could be because my first job here was in the helicopter, and maybe I saw a lot more accidents from the sky then I do on the ground. I was also involved in an accident. Someone ran a red light and hit my husband and I at Tropicana and Decatur. My car was totaled.
But, when I drive around now, I feel less frightened. I see less accidents. I think the timing of the lights are better.
Is it just me?
The only other thing I can think of… is that maybe I have become a better driver. Seeing all these terrible accidents and being involved in one myself helped me drive more defensively. I am very aware when I drive ( I always have been, but maybe I am even more now).
Tell me what you think! 
Tags: ACCIDENTS, las vegas traffic
October 28th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Yes things are much improved. When I moved here in 2001 you couldn’t get from one side of the city to the other. There were very few options on routes.
October 28th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I moved here five years ago as well, and have not seen an improvement at all! Perhaps it is a difference in routes, but driving Sunset/Eastern/Maryland Parkway every day results in being stuck at ridiculous red lights that have severe timing issues. In addition, I still cannot understand these drivers that are exiting out of neighborhoods onto main roads without stopping! I am afraid to ever drive in the right lane in this town. We need a major overhaul of the timing of our lights, some are so absurd that I cannot believe they have not been corrected. I hope the improvement you are seeing is true, and that it soon comes to my drive every day!!!
October 31st, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I have not seen an improvement at all. I came from Southern California almost 7 years ago, and to this day I still rather drive in that traffic than drive here. I used to love to drive, but now I am affraid everytime I get in the car. I also have a young child that I hope never has to go through an accident because of these idiot Las Vegas Drivers. I feel as if they don’t care about the laws and drive how THEY want. Another thing I hate is that semis are allowed in any lane on the freeway out here. I hate that! Not only are they careless drivers but they cause traffic too going below the speed limit in the “fast” lane.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:28 am
I dissagree with the term “idiot drivers” by Sarah in regards to Las Vegas drivers. I think the idiots are all the transplants that come from … ugg, CALIFORNIA! I am a Las Vegas native and don’t consider myself an idiot. I have been driving on these streets for 13 years and know my way around better than any of those transplants! Before calling other people idiots, you should look in the mirror, and ask yourself, how well do you know your way around the valley?
November 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Are you kidding folks. Las Vegas has become an increasingly horrible place to operate a vehicle. Being cut off and given the middle finger is so commonplace now that it actually makes me laugh instead of wanting to lose my cool. We are suffering from different combinations of driving styles, cultures and what is referred to as driving with your head so misplaced..on the cell phone, eating, aggressiveness and just not paying attention. If you take a look at the above responses you can see the perfect example of what happens on the streets. Learn how to drive folks and be courteous!
November 6th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Traffic in Las Vegas is too fast, not law obeying and dangerous much of the time. More law enforcemnt would help. Is the exchange at Loan MT and 215 open for traffic?
November 6th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I think the longer you live in the Vegas Valley, the more accustom you become to the driving here. I am no longer “shocked” when I see a driver make a left hand turn from the right turn lane. My selective hearing has come into play when I tune out the honks of the cars because I refuse to “gun” my car at the precise second BEFORE the light turns green just in case someone decides to run that red light. I still use my turn signal even though the car behind me more than likely can not see it because they are tailgating so close, I can read their lips in my rearview mirror. No, I don’t think the traffic has improved and I have lived in Vegas over 10 years. I will say, if you can drive in Vegas, you can drive anywhere.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I lived in Las Vegas for 30 yrs. and moved away 5yrs. ago. All you people need to go back from where you came including all the Mexicans because I was forced out like many of my local friends due to over population. It makes me sick to see what over development has done to the town I grew up in. You shouldn’t complain because your part of the problem. I can speek freely when I say all the locals are heartsick at what became of the real Vegas. I only hopr for the day I can move back without all you idiots on the road.
November 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
I moved here to Vegas in 1989 after haveing grown up in Southern Calif. most of my life. I have a sister who still lives in socal in Brea that I go see a few times a year. I would NEVER EVER want to live in Socal again PRIMARILY due to the traffic and crowding and the way people drive there. I love to listen to Las Vegas natives complain about “traffic” here. LOL try driveing ANYWHERE in SoCal anytime durring daylight hours. On alot of the freeways they have narrowed the lanes to be able to add another traffic lane to the freeway and I practicaly get claustophobic driveing there even if traffic isn’t heavy. Combine that with the fact that people in SoCal drive WAY too fast for conditions and to me Las Vegas is a breeze in comparison. In bumper to bumper traffic in SoCal everyone will still try to drive 65MPH about 5 feet from each others bumpers. AUGH.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:31 am
I moved here about ten years ago and used to dricve on the I-15 all of the time to get to work. No Problem! Now I avoid it if possible. It’s to congested. I can get where I want to go on the side streets and about as fast. Eastern has gotten just as bad. I try not to drive on it too often but it is still not as bade as I-.15
February 16th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Been in Vegas 3 years and in 2 accidents, neither my fault. What is with these idiots? First time rear ended by dummy on cell phone; second time collision with another prize who ran a red light. Seems like getting behind the wheel can be a life changing experience. Handsfree and paying attention would help!
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 am
I moved here in 1992 when it literally took 20 minutes to get from any point in town to another. WE didn’t force out any locals. If you left, you chose to leave. This is America and I can move anywhere I want to. Also it is not just California drivers. It is drivers from everywhere. They bring their driving styles here. Lights need to be timed correctly though. The city grew so fast that lights were literally thrown up! And we do need more law enforcement. Funny fact: I feel safer driving when I go back to Chicago then when I lived in Chicago. The seem very courteous now then when I lived there. Maybe let someone in here or wave to the person who let you go through that stop sign ahead of themselves. Everyone is far too concerned with only themselves and making it through this light or that stop sign first. Better to arrive alive then to make it throught he stop light first but dead.