Las Vegas Crossing Guard Pleads for Help Amid Traffic Woes

Concerns grow that a child may be hit as drivers ignore school zone signs

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:26pm

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph of a busy school crosswalk, with soft pools of warm yellow, orange, and red light washing over the frame, creating an atmospheric, dreamlike quality that conceptually represents the crossing guard's concerns over student safety.Concerns over student safety grow as a Las Vegas crossing guard pleads for help addressing persistent traffic issues near an elementary school.Las Vegas Today

A crossing guard at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in east Las Vegas is speaking out about ongoing traffic problems near the school, expressing fears that a child could be hit by a speeding vehicle. The guard has repeatedly contacted the school district and police, but says more needs to be done to address the issue, including hiring more dedicated school traffic officers.

Why it matters

Student safety is a major concern, with the Clark County School District Police Department reporting that 322 students were hit by vehicles since the start of the school year, including six fatalities. The crossing guard's pleas highlight the need for stronger enforcement and traffic calming measures around schools to protect vulnerable pedestrians.

The details

The crossing guard, who declined to be identified, says cars constantly speed through Betty Lane, which runs perpendicular to the school. They have emailed the traffic police and school district multiple times since Christmas, but say enforcement is lacking due to limited resources, with one officer responsible for 66 schools. Half of the students hit by vehicles were riding e-bikes or e-scooters, and fault was evenly split between drivers and students.

  • Since Christmas, the crossing guard has emailed the traffic police and school district 5-6 times.
  • From August to the first week of April, 322 students were hit by vehicles, with 6 fatalities.

The players

Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School

An elementary school located in a residential area of east Las Vegas, near Carey Avenue and Nellis Boulevard.

Clark County School District Police Department

The police department responsible for the Las Vegas area school district, which has around 10 officers dedicated to traffic enforcement.

Lt. Michael Campbell

A lieutenant with the Clark County School District Police Department who provided data on student-vehicle collisions.

Crossing Guard

An anonymous crossing guard at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School who has expressed concerns about traffic issues and the need for more safety measures.

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What they’re saying

“I have to explain to them. It's the kid you don't see that you're going to hit.”

— Crossing Guard

“It's going to go up. The weather is nice and when the weather is nice kids are out. They're having fun. They're doing kid things. Last year we were at about 120 [students hit by vehicles], the year before that I think it was 89.”

— Lt. Michael Campbell, Clark County School District Police Department

“There's nothing that I think we're not doing. Manpower is always going to be an issue, so we try to do as much as we can.”

— Lt. Michael Campbell, Clark County School District Police Department

“I mean six kids got killed by cars. They need to do something different, whatever it is that they're doing is not working.”

— Crossing Guard

What’s next

On July 1, a new school zone traffic enhancement law goes into effect doubling the fines for school zone infractions, including a $460 fine for making a U-turn in a school zone.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for stronger traffic enforcement and safety measures around schools to protect vulnerable student pedestrians, as current efforts appear insufficient to address the growing number of student-vehicle collisions.