LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 18-year-old Ruben Santos is lucky to be alive.
On February 25, Santos crashed his motorcycle into a median on Eastern Avenue near Valley Street in the east valley. He thought he wasn't going to survive.
"My bike got from one side of the median completely to the other side" said Santos.
"I lifted up my face mask from my helmet and I was just coughing up blood. I called my mom and I just told her I loved her and I don't know it I'm going to make it to the ER."
Santos thanks the bystanders who were there and called for medics immediately.
Now, he's on the road to recovery. He was in the hospital for nearly a week suffering from multiple injuries.
"I had a broken collar bone, broken fingers, dislocated finger, fractured skull, slight brain bleed, multiple facial fractures, a laceration on the liver," said Santos.
"I don't want anyone else to go through this. It's been the most stressful time of my life."
Before the crash, Santos was working for Amazon, but he's had to take off work indefinitely. Upon returning from the hospital, he was bedridden for three days and is now facing expensive medical bills estimated at about $300,000.
Thankfully, Santos will recover.
But in other similar cases this year, many of our own community members have lost their lives.
According to the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, there have been 47 traffic deaths in Clark County, as of the end of February. At this time last year, that number was 32. That's a near-50% increase.
The office also reports 10 deaths in Clark County from motorcycle crashes as of February. Last year, that number was four; a 150% increase.
MORE: Reckless driving, speeding to blame as motorcycle deaths spike in Las Vegas valley
"You never know what to expect, so always just be on 10 toes on the road," Santos said.
Santos believes the dim lighting in the area of the crash contributed to it.
"You can never see this coming from a mile away and it affects so many people around you," Santos said.
Last Monday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department posted this video on X after a motorcycle rider died in a crash with a taxi cab:
THIS DOESN’T NEED TO HAPPEN!
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) February 27, 2024
The 31st traffic fatality in our jurisdiction occurred at E. Flamingo Rd & University Center, involving a motorcycle and taxi cab. Investigators believe the motorcycle rider ran a red light! Remember, safety starts with each one of us! pic.twitter.com/3uYGxurlrv
Santos' bike was totaled and he said he won't be riding a motorcycle any time soon.
"It's an eye-opener to appreciate everything, and you don't ever know when life is just going to go away," Santos said.
He expects to fully recover in two to three months but will have to deal with the mental trauma from the crash for the rest of his life.
If you would like to donate to Santos' GoFundMe, click HERE.
