North Las Vegas, NV (September 8, 2026) – A 3-year-old boy and a man were critically injured on Saturday night, September 6, when they were struck by a vehicle while crossing East Craig Road in North Las Vegas, according to authorities. According to the police, the pair was outside a marked or implied crosswalk near Puebla Street at the time of the crash.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the crash happened just before 8 p.m. near East Craig Road and Puebla Street, close to Lamb Boulevard. Authorities say a Mitsubishi Outlander was traveling west on Craig Road with a driver and two passengers inside when the man, reportedly carrying the boy, stepped off a concrete median and into the vehicle’s path. A third pedestrian, a 22-year-old woman, was also attempting to cross and was not struck, police say.
The driver stopped and got out to help, according to authorities. Medical crews took the man and the boy to University Medical Center, where both remained in critical condition, police say. The three men in the Mitsubishi, all reported to be 28 years old, were not injured, according to authorities.
Police say the driver showed no signs of impairment. The crash remains under investigation by Las Vegas police, and no charges have been announced.
Our sympathies are with the family of the person who lost their life.
Why Pedestrian Crashes Turn Deadly After Dark
A crash between a vehicle and a person on foot is decided largely by weight and speed, not by how sturdy either side is built. A vehicle’s front end is designed to absorb impact for the people inside it, using crumple zones and airbags. A person walking has none of that protection, so the force of a crash hits them straight on.
Darkness adds another problem before impact ever happens: time to see and react. Headlights illuminate only a limited stretch of road, and a driver’s ability to spot someone stepping off a median or curb drops sharply once the sun is down. A pedestrian in dark clothing can be nearly invisible until a vehicle is very close, cutting the seconds a driver has to brake or swerve.
Speed also changes the outcome. The faster a vehicle is moving at the moment of impact, the less time there is to slow down, and the more energy is transferred into the person struck. Even modest increases in speed can be the difference between a survivable injury and a fatal one.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 percent of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes were struck by hit-and-run drivers in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can drivers lower the chance of hitting someone on foot?
Slowing down in areas with pedestrians, scanning medians and curbs, and staying especially alert at night and in low light can give a driver more time to react to someone crossing unexpectedly.
What injuries are common in pedestrian crashes?
Pedestrians struck by vehicles often suffer broken bones, head and spinal injuries, and internal injuries, since they have no structure around them to absorb the impact.
What usually causes these crashes?
Common factors include pedestrians crossing outside marked crosswalks, poor visibility at night, driver distraction, and vehicle speed at the point of impact.
Does speed affect whether a pedestrian survives?
Yes. Survival rates drop as vehicle speed increases because higher speeds transfer more force into the person struck and leave less time for a driver to stop.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Crash in North Las Vegas, NV
Anyone involved in or witnessing a pedestrian crash should call 911 immediately so police and medical crews can respond. Staying at the scene and cooperating with officers helps ensure an accurate report is filed.
If you or a family member is the pedestrian involved, seek a full medical evaluation even if injuries seem minor at first. Some injuries, especially head and internal injuries, are not obvious right away. Keep records of any treatment, and request a copy of the police report once it becomes available for your own records.
