An auto accident can occur just about anywhere in Las Vegas. However, some areas in the city are more prone to motor vehicle collisions than others. Many times, these high-volume crash points can be helped by additional signs, signals, or lane markings.

But sometimes, it is not practical or possible to reduce the incidence of accidents in a specific area. One of these hotspots is on the northbound side of Interstate 15 around Sahara Avenue in the heart of Las Vegas.

Statistics indicate that authorities are called out to a mind-boggling 15 accidents on average on northbound I-15 at Sahara during every 24-hour period. And an informal survey revealed that 38% of all accidents which necessitated alerts by the Regional Transportation Commission occurred in this area (and 87% of those were in the northbound lanes of the interstate).

One newspaper columnist offered her theory as to why I-15 and Sahara is home to so many crashes. The express lanes of northbound I-15 end here, so many vehicles are merging right – and some are trying to get all the way over to the right to exit at Sahara Avenue. At the same time, traffic is entering the freeway from Spring Mountain Road and must wait to merge left until the solid white line on the pavement is behind them. To make matters worse, the grade of the freeway prevents motorists from seeing the traffic backup near the Spaghetti Bowl, so some drivers are unable to stop in time before colliding with vehicles in front of them (especially those who are merging from the on-ramp and trying to accelerate to freeway speed).

Whatever the exact reasons are, it is vital that you as a driver exercise extreme caution whenever traveling on the northbound side of I-15 approaching Sahara Avenue. If you are victimized in a motor vehicle collision in this area, seek medical attention immediately and then notify a qualified auto accident attorney as soon as possible.