LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A little over a year ago, tragedy struck when three-year-old Jaya Brooks was killed in a wrong-way crash on U.S. 95 near Durango.
The loss of such a young life left Jaya's family shattered and struggling to find meaning in their unimaginable grief. But from that heartbreak has emerged a powerful mission — one that seeks to prevent others from enduring the same pain.
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Jaya's family is fighting for change, not just in memory of their beloved daughter but for every person on the road. Through their pain, they’ve found purpose, and their efforts are creating hope for the future.
“The grieving part over the past year has been the hardest thing to deal with by far,” said Jan Brooks, Jaya's father.
Turning Pain into Purpose: Jaya’s Light Foundation
In the wake of Jaya’s death, her family created Jaya’s Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children in need.
Through the foundation, they provide toys, clothes, care packages, and other essentials to children facing hardship.
But the family didn’t stop there. They knew that real change needed to happen on the roads to prevent more families from experiencing such a devastating loss.
Jaya’s Law: A Step Toward Real Consequences for Wrong-Way Drivers
With the support of Assemblyman Brian Hibbets, Jaya's family has helped draft AB 111, a bill that aims to make wrong-way driving a crime. Currently, wrong-way driving is treated as a civil offense — meaning drivers who go the wrong way on a road only face a fine. But if AB 111, unofficially called Jaya’s Law, passes, wrong-way drivers will face a misdemeanor charge.
“I didn’t realize how bad of a problem it was. AB 111 makes it a criminal offense again. It makes it a misdemeanor, " Hibbets said.
Hibbets worked closely with the Brooks family to create this bill, driven by their shared desire to make the roads safer for everyone. He recalls the overwhelming statistics he received from Metro for 2024: 634 reported wrong-way drivers in just one year.
“We wanted at least something to happen, a change,” Jan said.
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A Path to Preventing More Heartbreak
Hibbets emphasizes that this bill isn’t just about one family’s loss; it’s about the larger impact and the hope that fewer families will have to endure the heartbreak they’ve experienced.
“There’s an end goal we want to get to and until we get there, we’re not going to stop,” Hibbets said.
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What’s Next: A Call to Action
AB 111 is set to be presented in Carson City on February 18th, where Jaya’s family will be present to continue advocating for change.
