LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police took FOX5’s Victoria Saha through a hands-on driving course to demonstrate the dangers of speeding as the valley continues to see high numbers of traffic fatalities.
The training took place at Las Vegas Speedway near Nellis Air Force Base, where officers demonstrated braking distances and reaction times at various speeds.
Las Vegas saw 163 traffic fatalities in 2025, with about 10 deaths already recorded in the first weeks of 2026, according to Metro police statistics shared during the training.
MORE: Las Vegas police show different traffic scenarios caused by speeding
Braking demonstrations reveal stopping challenges
During the course, Saha experienced firsthand what happens when vehicles traveling at 45 mph and 65 mph slam on their brakes.
“That itself was so jarring,” Saha said, who participated in the training. “Like, I was expecting it. I knew they were going to slam on their brakes. But the whiplash you get and just how jarring it was really shocked me.”
The demonstration showed that even at 45 mph — a common speed limit on many Las Vegas roads — the force required to stop quickly can be overwhelming for drivers.
“It just shows that if you’re not paying attention, you might miss that stop sign. By the time you slam on those brakes, it could be too late,” Saha said.
Motorcycle safety highlighted
The training included motorcycle safety demonstrations, showing the difference between using only rear brakes versus using both front and rear brakes properly.
Two police officers on motorcycles demonstrated the braking techniques at speed, with one officer using only the back brake and another using both brakes correctly. The demonstration showed how proper braking technique allows motorcyclists to stop in time to avoid crashes.
Obstacle course tests reaction time
Reporters also navigated an obstacle course at 65 mph, weaving through cones that represented objects or people in the roadway.
“Each cone represented either an object on the road or could have been a person,” Saha said. “And imagine, like I was anticipating those cones. But if I was distracted, if I was on my phone, if I was just driving and didn’t care, I would have hit someone and I wouldn’t have even known.”
Increased enforcement planned
Metro Police said they plan increased patrols using both marked and unmarked vehicles to combat speeding and reckless driving.
Officers can estimate vehicle speeds visually before using radar guns to confirm violations, and will pull over drivers for speeds as low as 5-10 mph over the limit.
During the training, reporters struggled to accurately estimate vehicle speeds, with most underestimating how fast cars were traveling.
School zone concerns add to road safety issues
The road safety concerns extend beyond general traffic, with Clark County School District reporting 163 students hit by vehicles since September 2025, though not all incidents resulted in serious injuries or fatalities.
The training emphasized that reducing traffic deaths requires all drivers to follow traffic laws and pay attention while driving.
“Everyone has to do their part, because we hear it all the time, like an innocent bystander, maybe someone who was in a marked crosswalk getting hit and killed,” Saha said.
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