Highway Driving Safety Tips
Life is different this fall. As summer comes to an end, many individuals are taking advantage of changed school and work schedules to take road trips. A Nevada road trip can be rewarding. It can also be dangerous because Nevada is home to dangerous stretches of highway. Before you venture on the highway, use our below highway driving safety tips.
We hope our highway driving safety tips help you stay safe this fall. If you are driving on a highway and another driver injures you, seek medical help immediately. Once you have sought medical care, seek legal help from a personal injury lawyer. The law firm of Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of car accident and personal injury lawyers and staff ready to help you with your case. We provide you with some of the very best car accident lawyers in the Las Vegas area. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000
Freeway vs. Highway – Is There a Difference?
Before we discuss highway driving, you may be wondering what is a highway? Furthermore, what is a freeway? Is there a difference? The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) wrote an article answering these questions. According to the ADOT:
- Freeways are highways, but not all highways are freeways.
- A freeway is a highway where access to the roadway is controlled. Drivers can only enter a controlled-access highway by ramps. Traffic traveling in opposite directions is usually separated by a median, and vehicles wanting to cross a freeway must use an overpass or underpass.
- Freeways are usually in an urban setting and have higher speed limits.
What is a highway that isn’t classified as a freeway? According to the ADOT:
- There will be no exit or entrance ramps on a highway that is not a freeway.
- Highways will also have cross-traffic, traffic signals, and sometimes pedestrian crossings. They can usually be found in rural areas and often have lower speed limits than freeways.
Highway Driving Safety Tips
Now that you know that all freeways are highways, we can discuss the following highway driving safety tips:
- Watch your speed
- Avoid distractions
- Buckle up
- Avoid the “No-Zone” around trucks
- Look out for animals
- Move over
- Drive sober
- Avoid aggressive driving
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Watch Your Speed
Speed limits have dramatically increased. The fastest road in America is currently a toll road in Texas that legally allows drivers to travel at 85 mph. As speed limits increase, it is easy to forget that the numbers posted on signs are the legal maximum allowed speed. Maximum speeds are set to keep everyone safe. Nonetheless, speeding remains a major motor vehicle safety issue.
According to the Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation, speeding accounts for one-third of all traffic deaths in Nevada. In 2018, the National Safety Council reported that:
- Speeding was a factor in 26 percent of all traffic fatalities, killing 9,378 people. An average of over 25 people per day.
- The total number of fatal motor-vehicle crashes attributable to speeding was 8,447.
Share the road responsibly and slow down. If a speeding driver injures you on the road, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. The law firm of Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of lawyers and staff ready to help you with your personal injury case. Our team is highly experienced in the representation of clients in car accident cases in the Las Vegas area. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 for a free consultation.
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Avoid Distractions
Distracted driving causes accidents. Almost every day, more than 1,000 people are injured in distracted driving crashes. In 2018, 2,841 people were killed because of distracted driving. That same year, distracted driving claimed 10 lives in Nevada. Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Stay safe and focus on the road.
Buckle Up
Seat belts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- Of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, 47 percent were not wearing seat belts.
- In 2017 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives.
Wear your seat belt anytime you are in a vehicle. If you have a child, use the child seat every time. For additional tips on how to keep your child safe, see our article on car seat safety.
Even the most cautious driver can be injured on the highway. If another driver injures you on a Nevada highway, contact the team at Anthem Injury Lawyers. The team at Anthem Injury Lawyers will work aggressively to protect your rights and help you receive maximum compensation. Our law office is in Henderson, Nevada and we work with clients all over the Las Vegas area. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Avoid the “No-Zone” Around Trucks
Most crashes between commercial trucks and smaller cars are caused by the car drivers. The Nevada Driver Handbook has a section dedicated to commercial vehicle safety. It reminds drivers to avoid the “No-Zone.”
The “No-Zone” is the area around large commercial trucks where cars “disappear” into blind spots. If truck drivers cannot see you, the possibility of a collision is greatly increased. Avoid driving in the side, rear, and front “No-Zone.”
Look Out for Animals
In Nevada, you may not be worried about running into animals on the highway. If you are traveling to other states, you may need to stay alert for animals. Pay attention to “deer crossing” and “wildlife crossing” signs. Be cautious in areas near woods or water. Animal collisions happen the most during October through December. Drivers and passengers should drive defensively and actively watch for:
- Wildlife on the road, in the ditch, on the shoulder, and in the right of way.
- Movement on or alongside the road.
- Shining eyes, which will be the car’s headlights reflecting off the animal’s eyes.
- Flickering headlights of oncoming cars or taillights. The flicker may be an animal crossing in the road.
- Roadside reflectors that disappear/reappear. This might indicate an animal crossing in front of them.
- Animals between dusk and dawn.
Move Over
Drivers should be aware of move over laws. A move over law requires drivers to slow down and move over to accommodate emergency vehicles with flashing lights. All 50 states have move over laws. Move over laws protect everyone on the road. Nevada’s move over law applies to a motorist approaching any sort of traffic incident. If you see flashing lights:
- Slow to less than the posted speed limit.
- Move to a non-adjacent lane.
- Be prepared to stop.
If a driver fails to abide by Nevada’s move over law and injures you, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. The team at Anthem Injury Lawyers will work aggressively to protect your rights and help you receive maximum compensation. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Drive Sober
The safest way to drive is sober. Alcohol and drugs impact your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is dangerous and deadly. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving:
- Every two minutes someone is injured in a drunk driving crash.
- Even more unfortunate, every 51 minutes someone is killed.
If you are driving a vehicle, drive sober. If an impaired driver injures you or a loved one in Las Vegas, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. Anthem Injury Lawyers have experienced car accident lawyers who are ready to help you. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Avoid Aggressive Driving
The safest driver is calm and avoids aggressive driving. AAA defines aggressive driving as:
- Any unsafe driving behavior, performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for safety.
For additional examples of aggressive driving see our article on aggressive driving and road rage.
If you encounter an aggressive driver do the following:
- Remain calm.
- Never take aggressive driving personally.
- Do not engage.
- Try to keep a safe distance.
- Contact 911 when safe to do so.
If an aggressive driver injures you in Las Vegas, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers at (702) 857-6000 for a free consultation.
EXPERIENCED LAS VEGAS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS
In Las Vegas and across the country, highway drivers cause many car accidents per year. We hope our highway driving safety tips help keep you safe. Sometimes no matter what precautions are taken, accidents still happen. If you’ve become a victim in a car accident caused by another, you need a personal injury lawyer who can get you the compensation you deserve.
Has a highway driver injured you or a loved one? If so, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer can give you legal advice and help protect your rights. Our Las Vegas legal team understands that being an accident victim can be one of the most difficult things you will ever face. As you deal with injuries and wonder how to navigate the system, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced lawyer.
Our personal injury lawyers handle all types of motor vehicle accident cases including: car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bus accidents. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 for a free consultation. We can come to you if your injuries are too severe to allow you to visit our Las Vegas area law office.
Call or text (702) 857-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
