fatalities

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Caltrans is advising motorists of a lane closure on U.S. Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe later this week for a pilot project to paint a section of the bike lane green.

The closure is scheduled for the eastbound #2 lane from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday between Dunlap Drive and 3rd Street to apply the paint treatment.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - First it was Lime Bikes, but now the company's Lime Scooters have created both enjoyment and concern in South Lake Tahoe. The popular mode of transportation is used by millions worldwide and provides over 100,000 annual rides in South Lake Tahoe.

But the illegal use by minors and a flaw in the Lime app process has drawn concern from local law enforcement and residents.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) plans to start work in April on their $4.1M project to convert the existing T-intersection at US50 and SR89 in Meyers into a three-leg roundabout.

Federal funds will be used to create what transportation officials say is a safety project by reducing the number and/or severity of collisions at the intersection. At this intersection there were 16 accidents on the Highway 50 side, and four accidents on the Highway 89 side from 2008 to 2013. There were no fatalities in those accidents.

The California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Valley Division and Golden Gate Divisions, having jurisdiction over the Sacramento regions and San Francisco Bay Area, are partnering with the Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) to participate in an “I-80 Challenge.”

This effort aims to reduce distracted and reckless driving along the 615 miles of Interstate 80 from San Francisco, Calif. to the Nevada/Utah Stateline from Monday, August 27 – Labor Day, September 3, 2018, by enhancing traffic safety, enforcement, and education along this section of the National Highway System.

Smoke from fires west of Lake Tahoe is expected to come into the basin again today, but Sunday morning is clear. Here is an update on most fires in Northern California and Western Nevada.

Yes, dogs can get the flu.

With dozens of reported cases of dogs with influenza throughout Northern California over the last few weeks, it appears two strains of the nasty bug may be getting closer to Lake Tahoe.

One Reno veterinarian says even though they've had just 10 confirmed cases of dog flu in Washoe County, he believes there has likely been 100 cases. Some dog owners don't get their dogs tested for flu due to costs, but Dr. Rick Furman said many of the sick dogs seen in his office have they symptoms.

Over 3,300 confirmed cases of the flu have been reported to the Washoe County Health District this flu season, leading to at least seven fatalities. These numbers have health officials urging everyone to take preventive measures to keep from contracting the nasty virus now circulating across the country. Of particular concern is this season’s H3N2 influenza virus which appears to be extremely virulent among young children and older adults.

The El Dorado County District Attorney's Office has teamed up with Lyft, just as other Sacramento and Sierra area community, to keep people on the road safer during the holiday season. Drivers are encouraged to use safe rides to reduce impaired driving and help keep El Dorado County and the surrounding areas safe.

Fatalities due to impaired driving and riding continue to be a top traffic issue on Nevada’s roadways and with overall fatalities at an increase in comparison to this time last year, the Nevada Highway Patrol is working in conjunction with agencies aligned with Joining Forces to boost enforcement efforts.

The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) is becoming concerned with traffic issues around Sand Harbor on State Route 28 near Incline Village, especially early mornings on Saturdays and Sundays.

Drivers parking and those stopping in the middle of the road trying to park are creating backups and dangerous situations before the popular beach even opens.
On many weekend mornings the traffic is backed up all the way into Incline Village, causing major delays, and this is when there is no road construction.

A preliminary step in what will be a multi-year Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) process took place at Zephyr Cove Elementary School Wednesday evening. About double the expected maximum of 120 people crowded the school's multi-purpose room to view and listen to the agency's plans for the stretch of Highway 50 from Stateline to Spooner Summit in Lake Tahoe which is officially called the US50 Lake Tahoe Corridor Safety Improvement.

Between 2011 and 2015, 369 lives were lost in Nevada in alcohol-related crashes, one of the deadliest and most often committed of crimes on the road. Impaired drivers have consistently been the most common cause of motor vehicle crashes resulting in injuries and deaths in Nevada which is a serious safety epidemic.

There is someone injured in a car accident every two minutes, and someone killed every 53 minutes in the United States involving an impaired driver. This is a preventable crime, and lives can be saved by following some simple steps.

Deaths caused by drunk drivers had decreased during the past three decades due to increased awareness, education and more choices of sober drivers, but authorities are seeing a rise in 2016. Over 10,000 people died in 2015 after someone chose to drink and drive.

New Year's Day is the single deadliest day for drunk driving and accidents caused by drunk drivers. The 12-hour window between 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 6 a.m. on Jan. 1 tends to have about 71 percent more crashes where alcohol or drugs are listed as a contributing factor.

In an effort to save lives, the Nevada Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies will be looking for motorists and their occupants who are not buckled up during their "Joining Forces" event November 14 through December 10, 2016 on Nevada roadways.

Over the past three Halloweens there have been a total of six traffic deaths and 417 crashes during the past three Halloweens in Nevada, so the Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) and Nevada Department of Public Safety (NDOT) has joined together to remind both drivers and pedestrians to be safe.

UPDATE 9AM: Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes offered condolences on behalf of Carson High School to family members after it was learned a 16-year-old CHS male student was killed in a rollover crash in Goni Canyon early this morning. An adult also died in the accident. The names of the victims have not been released.

“On behalf of the school, our students and faculty, we are very sorry for this loss. Our thoughts go out to family and friends of the student,” said Stokes.

Four people were cited for selling alcohol to minors on April 29 during a compliance sting by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

During the operation, minors under the direct supervision of officers, attempted to purchase alcohol from ten retail licensees in the city limits.

40 percent of those businesses sold alcohol to the teen decoys. Clerks at Safeway Gas, Chevron Gas, Whiskey Dicks and Chevy's Restaurant were all cited and face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.

On April 7 and April 20, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol will be especially vigilant for distracted drivers on local roads as part of a joint effort across the state.

Although the officers' goals are not to write as many citations as possible, sometimes citations are necessary for drivers to understand the importance of focusing on their driving.

Distracted driving is such an important safety issue that April is recognized as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

With St. Patrick's Day being one of the biggest holidays centered around partying, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department is having a DUI Checkpoint as well as extra patrols on the roads to help lower deaths and injuries.

The checkpoint will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day, March 17. The location has not been disclosed.

While California figures are not in yet, Nevada has released a report on their traffic fatalities for 2015.

Preliminary data shows that there were 321 Nevada traffic deaths in 2015, an increase by 30 deaths over the previous year.

When compared with the number of miles driven in Nevada, though, traffic deaths have dropped from an average of 1.54 deaths per every 100 million miles traveled in 2008 to 1.13 fatalities per 100 million miles in 2013. Statewide, traffic fatalities reached an all-time high of 432 in 2006.

Douglas County and Lyon County Sheriff's Officers are joining law enforcement from around the state in a Click It or Ticket campaign to remind motorists that seat belts save lives and that failing to buckle up can result in costly ticket fees.

8:00 a.m. update 10/12/15: Authorities spent Sunday removing parts of the plane that remained in trees surrounding the crash site that claimed the lives of two people in South Lake Tahoe.

Investigators say the plane hit trees before crashing behind a home on Tionontati Street just before 5:36 p.m. Saturday, October 10. A fire started which scorched the home.

The force of the crash broke a large tree just feet away from the house.

Douglas County residents can expect to see an increase in the normal law enforcement presence near crosswalks within Douglas County between August 17 and August 28, 2015. Douglas County has joined forces with Lyon County and other law enforcement agencies statewide to monitor pedestrian safety.

It may seem like lyrics from the Five Man Electrical Band: Sign, sign, everywhere a sign; Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind' Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Everyone wants to enjoy the South Lake Tahoe area on the 4th of July holiday weekend. In order to keep everyone safe there are rules and regulations in place to do so.

1. Portable Charcoal Grills Prohibited on All Forest Service Beaches. You can use the limited number of Forest Service provided grills.
2. Campfires are not permitted on National Forest beaches or in the general forest.