Driving in the state of Nevada can be dangerous. According to a preliminary State Fatal Crash Report issued by the Office of Traffic Safety, 331 people died on Nevada roadways in 2018. More than two-thirds of these traffic fatalities occurred in Clark County.
What Contributed to These Deadly Crashes?
According to recent data compiled by the Nevada Department of Transportation Safety Engineering Division, the most common types of traffic fatalities were: non-collision, angle, and rear-end.
The factors that contributed to these traffic deaths were:
- Failure to keep in proper lane
- Failure to yield
- Driving too fast for road conditions
- Drinking/DUI offenders/impaired driving
- Falling asleep/fatigue
- Drugs
- Failure to wear seat belts
- Other improper driving
Law Enforcement Liaison Scott Swain from the Office of Traffic Safety said that this year’s increase in deaths was partially due to people who did not wear seat belts. He said, “we saw a 23 percent increase in unrestrained occupants dying in traffic fatalities.”
Swain said that seat belt violations are a secondary offense, which means that law enforcement agencies are not permitted to pull a driver over solely for not wearing a seat belt. Swain said that if highway patrol was allowed to pull people over for not wearing seat belts, there would be a decrease in traffic-related deaths.
For more information about seat belts and motor vehicle safety, see the Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan to reach zero fatalities: https://zerofatalitiesnv.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Occupant-Protection-2017-Sept-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000
Pedestrians Deaths
Pedestrian deaths in Nevada have increased over the past few years. In 2017, pedestrian deaths increased from 80 to 100. Fortunately, last year, pedestrian deaths were down by 18 percent.
Pedestrian fatalities due to traffic crashes occurred in the roadway, at intersections, on medians, on sidewalks, at crosswalks, and on the shoulder of roads.
Contributing factors to these deaths included:
- Improper roadway crossing
- Darting into the roadway
- Failure to yield right-of-way
- Not being visible
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been in a car accident and you would like to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 850-0202. Our office is in Henderson, but we work with clients all over the Las Vegas Valley.
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