- Jordan Laytham, 12, died after a crash at 60th and Ames; his family is now calling for safer turning signals.
- Ames Avenue is designated as a high-injury corridor in Omaha’s Vision Zero traffic safety plan.
- The city plans to retime traffic signals along Ames in 2027 to improve safety and traffic flow.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A North Omaha mother is speaking out—calling for safer streets—after her 12-year-old son was killed in a crash near 60th and Ames.
Veronica Vanser says her son, Jordan Laytham, was critically injured in a crash Thursday night and later died from his injuries on Friday. The child was riding in the passenger seat as his step-father attempted to make a left turn onto 60th Street from Ames Avenue when another vehicle struck them on the passenger side.
“I would like to see green arrows established at turning corners,” Vanser said. “That way, turning vehicles have the right of way at some point.”
Vanser and Jordan’s stepmother, Tyler Jones, are now grieving and planning a funeral. As they process their unimaginable loss, they’re urging drivers to slow down and stay alert.
“You think going where you need to go matters… until something like this happens,” Jones said. “So just slow down and take your time.”
Speeding along Ames Avenue has long been a concern. The City of Omaha’s Vision Zero map lists the corridor as a high-injury area—meaning it's a stretch of road where crashes happen more frequently and often with severe consequences.
Vision Zero is the city's long-term initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2045.
“We all know driving in Omaha has been an issue,” Vanser said. “Just over the last year alone, we've seen a lot more than just my son passing.”
According to Vision Zero city planning documents, Ames Avenue is scheduled for future traffic signal retiming in 2027—a step that could help better align signals with current traffic patterns and, ultimately, reduce the risk of crashes.
For now, Vanser is hoping Jordan’s a lesson for others and people take road safety more serious.
