CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Department of Transportation is reminding motorists to drive safely as NV Energy announces potential power outages to reduce the risk of wildfire in the Incline Village area.

Due to severe fire weather, NV Energy implements Public Safety Outage Management and shuts off power in extreme fire-risk areas to help prevent power lines and other equipment from causing a wildfire.  Those power outages may result in traffic signals in some areas of the Tahoe basin being non-operational, including blinking red or simply dark. When traffic control lights are not working, the intersection should be treated as an all-way stop. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle Driver Handbook states that motorists must bring their vehicle to a complete stop, and yield to other vehicles and pedestrians before proceeding with caution through an intersection with non-operational signals. 

Drivers are also reminded to further proceed with caution as intersections and roadways which were previously lit may not be during power outages. 

In some areas of the state, retroreflective traffic signal backplates have been installed, placing a retroreflective yellow border around the traffic signals. Being retroreflective, the yellow border draws driver attention and further reflects light for enhanced visibility. During power outages, the further reflective illumination can also help lightly illuminate an otherwise dark signal to provide a visible cue to drivers. 

NV Energy will provide power outage updates through local news outlets, nvenergy.com and social media. For more information on NV Energy’s wildfire risk mitigation efforts, including PSOM, please visit nvenergy.com/wildfiresafety.

Intersection Safety Tips

• Make a complete stop at all red traffic signals and stop signs. This includes treating flashing red or dark, non-operational traffic signals as an all-way stop.
• Yield to other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Look right before turning.