(702) 857-6000Do You Know Nevada’s Seat Belt Laws?
Two Las Vegas-area residents tragically lost their lives last month. They both sadly died after their vehicle collided with two big rigs on Highway 132. The two individuals were ejected from the vehicle. Neither were wearing seat belts. This type of tragedy is too common on our roadways. In Nevada alone, 22 percent of the total car fatalities are unbelted. States have seat belt laws to try to protect everyone on the road.
Do you know about Nevada seatbelt law? Below we will provide Nevada’s seat belt laws to remind you to buckle up every time you get behind the wheel.
We hope this article helps you make safe driving decisions and follow Nevada’s seat belt laws. We also understand that even the most cautious driver can be injured in an accident. If a Las Vegas area car accident injures you, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. The law firm Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of car accident lawyers and staff ready to help you with your personal injury case. We offer the experience you need to win your Las Vegas car accident case. Don’t delay: have our Las Vegas car accident lawyers pursue top compensation for you by winning your accident case. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Seat Belts Are for Safety
Before we discuss Nevada seat belt laws, we want to explain why the laws are so important. If you are reading this article, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I wear a seat belt?” Especially when it seems like your car has so many other safety features. Simply put—seat belts save lives. The following seat belt information is from Zero Fatalities Nevada:
- Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of getting seriously injured or dying in a crash by 50 percent.
- Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.
- Airbags are not enough to protect you. The force of an airbag can seriously injure you or even kill you if you are not buckled up.
If another driver injures you, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. The experienced team at Anthem Injury Lawyers can help you protect your rights and get you the personal injury settlement that you deserve. Don’t delay. Get in touch with our Las Vegas car accident lawyers today and have us get you significant compensation as an accident victim. Now is not the time to allow insurance companies and other parties to stand in the way of the compensation you deserve as an accident victim. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation.
Nevada Seatbelt Law
Did you know that seat belt laws vary by state? The laws can generally be divided into the following two categories:
- Primary enforcement
- Secondary enforcement
Primary enforcement laws allow a police officer to stop and cite a motorist solely for not using a seat belt. Secondary enforcement laws allow a police officer to enforce the seat belt law, but only if the motorist has been pulled over for another violation first. Nevada’s seat belt laws allow for secondary enforcement. This means you can only receive a ticket for not wearing a seat belt if you have been pulled over for a different reason.
Please note, that separate laws apply to children. Child restraint laws are not provided below.
The legal issues involved in a car accident are state and case-specific. If you are injured in a car accident, it is important that you work with an experienced car accident lawyer licensed in your state. If another driver injures you in the Las Vegas area, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers. We are an experienced team of car accident lawyers licensed in Nevada. Our decades of car accident legal experience offer you the best opportunity to help you win significant compensation in your Las Vegas car accident case. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
Nevada Revised Statute 484D.495
Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 484D.495 provides Nevada’s safety belt requirements. It requires that cars be equipped with safety belts and that passengers wear safety belts. It also provides exceptions.
NRS 484D.495 provides as follows:
- It is unlawful to drive a passenger car manufactured after:
(a) January 1, 1968, on a highway unless it is equipped with at least two lap-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
(b) January 1, 1970, on a highway unless it is equipped with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent seating position for passengers. This requirement does not apply to the rear seats of vehicles operated by a police department or sheriff’s office.
(c) January 1, 1970, unless it is equipped with at least two shoulder-harness-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
- Any person driving, and any passenger who:
(a) Is 6 years of age or older; or
(b) Weighs more than 60 pounds, regardless of age,
who rides in the front or back seat of any vehicle described in subsection 1, having an unladen weight of less than 10,000 pounds, on any highway, road, or street in this State shall wear a safety belt if one is available for the seating position of the person or passenger.
- A citation must be issued to any driver or to any adult passenger who fails to wear a safety belt as required by subsection 2. If the passenger is a child who:
(a) Is 6 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age, regardless of weight; or
(b) Is less than 6 years of age but who weighs more than 60 pounds,
a citation must be issued to the driver for failing to require that child to wear the safety belt, but if both the driver and that child are not wearing safety belts, only one citation may be issued to the driver for both violations. A citation may be issued pursuant to this subsection only if the violation is discovered when the vehicle is halted or its driver is arrested for another alleged violation or offense. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection 2 shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25 or by a sentence to perform a certain number of hours of community service.
- A violation of subsection 2:
(a) Is not a moving traffic violation under NRS 483.473.
(b) May not be considered as negligence or as causation in any civil action or as negligent or reckless driving under NRS 484B.653.
(c) May not be considered as misuse or abuse of a product or as causation in any action brought to recover damages for injury to a person or property resulting from the manufacture, distribution, sale, or use of a product.
- The Department shall exempt those types of motor vehicles or seating positions from the requirements of subsection 1 when compliance would be impractical.
- The provisions of subsections 2 and 3 do not apply:
(a) To a driver or passenger who possesses a written statement by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse certifying that the driver or passenger is unable to wear a safety belt for medical or physical reasons;
(b) If the vehicle is not required by federal law to be equipped with safety belts;
(c) To an employee of the United States Postal Service while delivering mail in the rural areas of this State;
(d) If the vehicle is stopping frequently, the speed of that vehicle does not exceed 15 miles per hour between stops, and the driver or passenger is frequently leaving the vehicle or delivering property from the vehicle; or
(e) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 484D.500, to a passenger riding in a means of public transportation, including a school bus or emergency vehicle.
- It is unlawful for any person to distribute, have for sale, offer for sale, or sell any safety belt or shoulder harness assembly for use in a motor vehicle unless it meets current minimum standards and specifications of the United States Department of Transportation.
Nevada Revised Statute 484D.500 – Nevada Seatbelt Law
Nevada’s seat belt laws include a statute that applies to the use of safety belts within taxicabs. Subsection one of Nevada Revised Statute 484D.500 provides as follows:
- Any passenger 18 years of age or older who rides in the front or back seat of any taxicab on any highway, road, or street in this State shall wear a safety belt if one is available for the seating position of the passenger, except that this subsection does not apply:
(a) To a passenger who possesses a written statement by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse certifying that the passenger is unable to wear a safety belt for medical or physical reasons; or
(b) If the taxicab was not required by federal law at the time of initial sale to be equipped with safety belts.
The rest of the statute includes penalties as well as the requirement that the owner or operator of the taxicab posts a sign in the vehicle about the safety belt requirement.
Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers
We hope Nevada’s seat belt laws help you stay safe on Nevada roads. If another driver injures you, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer will work aggressively to protect your rights and help you receive maximum compensation.
Award-winning personal injury law firm Anthem Injury Lawyers is a team of experienced and dedicated personal injury lawyers. We are based in Henderson, Nevada, and serve clients throughout the Las Vegas area. When we say we offer experience as top Las Vegas personal injury lawyers, we mean over 25 years of experience. Anthem Injury Lawyers specializes in personal injury claims. Our decades of experience and our deep familiarity with all aspects of Nevada personal injury law, give you a powerful advantage. This is exactly the level of experience you need to help you win top compensation for injuries sustained in your Las Vegas car accident. We offer you the best opportunity to win significant compensation for your injuries. Don’t wait. You don’t have to worry about affordability, as our Las Vegas car accident lawyers don’t get paid unless they win your case. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
