Photo reprinted from Channelone.com

In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is just around the corner, September 15 ─ October 15, the Ford Motor Company and the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Newspapers in Education program are sponsoring a photography and essay contest for students in grades 9-12 throughout Clark County.

Students are asked to research a person, place or event that is representative of Hispanic culture and heritage and has made a significant impact within the community or their life. Secondly, students are asked to photograph their selection and write a brief composition of their subject (no more than four paragraphs) describing its importance.

The1st prize is a $2,250.00 U.S. Savings Bond and Certificate of Merit. Second prize is a $1,000.00 U.S. Savings Bond and Certificate of Merit, and 3rd Prize is a $500.00 U.S. Savings Bond and Certificate of Merit.  The Honorable Mention will receive a $250.00 U.S. Savings Bond and Certificate of Merit.  Contest winners must have a valid Social Security account number to be eligible to receive U.S. Savings Bonds.  Winners will be presented their prizes at the Las Vegas Review-Journal October 24th, 2008.  In addition to prizes awarded, the first place winner’s name and photograph and other winners’ names will be published in the Review-Journal.

The deadline for entries is Friday, October 10, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at the Review-Journal property or by mail.  Entries can be mailed to:

Newspapers In Education

Las Vegas Review-Journal

1111 W. Bonanza Rd.

Las Vegas, NV 89106

For more information about the contest, visit http://www.lasvegasnie.com/hheritage08.html.

I hope that you encourage any of your eligible children, students or relatives to participate in this contest, which is a great and creative way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage.  Good luck to the contestants!

Photo reprinted from flickr.com

We recently came across a report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) that states the number of collisions in the Las Vegas area, the number of fatalities and their causes and the intersections with the highest incidences of collisions for the year to date.  In order to show how prevalent car accidents are in the Las Vegas valley and how they can be easily prevented, I have posted some information from that report.

Las Vegas Collision Stats

The LVMPD reports a staggering 17,884 collisions for the year of 2008, with 7,239, or 40% of those collisions resulting in injury and 82 in death. 

Of those 82 fatalities, pedestrian error was the #1 cause of death, followed by excessive speed and failure to yield the right of way along with other improper driving.  Although 82 may seem like a relatively low number of fatalities when compared to the number of collisions, that’s 82 lives cut short in accidents that likely could have been prevented by exercising caution and responsibility! And that number only accounts for deaths through the month of August! 

Dangerous Intersections

We all know that there are certain intersections in the city that are notorious for accidents.  Below I list the intersections in town to watch out for and to be especially careful while crossing or driving through them. 

The top 10 intersections with the highest incidences of collisions were:

1. Tropicana Ave. at Koval Ln.
2. Las Vegas Blvd. at Flamingo Rd.
3. Tropicana Ave. at Las Vegas Blvd.
4. Maryland Parkway at Sahara Avenue
5. Lamb Blvd. at Charleston Blvd.
6. Tropicana Ave. at Eastern Ave.
7. Sahara Ave. at Las Vegas Blvd.
8. Blue Diamond Rd. at Durango Dr.
9. Sands Ave. at Las Vegas Blvd.
10. Sahara Ave. at Valley View Blvd.

The top 5 intersections with the highest rate of collisions with injuries were:

1. Koval at Tropicana
2. Lamb at Charleston
3. Charleston at Eastern
4. Bonanza at Nellis
5. Nellis at Vegas Valley

I hope you find this information helpful and that it has inspired you to be a safer driver and a more cautious pedestrian.  Remember that speed limits as well as traffic signals and right-of-way laws exist to protect you and other drivers – follow them to avoid expensive auto insurance premiums and to keep you and your “precious cargo” safe.

For those of you that aren’t aware, the website of our local metropolitan police department has some helpful tips that might make owning a car in Las Vegas a bit safer.

Through the main web page, www.lvmpd.com, one can access information on accidents or auto thefts in your neighborhood, safety tips on car thefts and carjacking, and accidents or trouble spots that have happened within the last 15 minutes. 

To look for current accidents or trouble spots, go to the following link which is updated every 15 minutes:  http://www.lvmpd.com/cgi-bin/traffic/traffic.pl

For safety tips on car theft or carjacking, navigate to the section of the home page called “auto theft.”  Scroll down for information on many items having to do with car safety. 

To find out about crime in your neighborhood, access the Crime View section of the home page.  Follow the steps and you’ll be able to narrow down a specific neighborhood and find out what crimes have taken place and when.

In a time when we’re all worried about our safety, a little bit of information goes a long way.

Sincerely,

Adam S. Kutner