Serious car accidents occur in many ways. The leading causes for fatal collisions in Nevada in 2021 were impairment and speeding, KSNV News 3 reports.
Exceeding the speed limit and driving while impaired are types of preventable driver errors involving bad judgment. Some type of driver error contributes to most car accidents.
If you or your loved one has been harmed due to someone else’s negligent driving, Nevada law says that you may be entitled to seek compensation for your losses. At Sam & Ash Injury Law, our Las Vegas car accident attorneys have extensive experience assisting injured drivers, passengers, and others with all types of car accident injury claims.
Based on Nevada Office of Traffic Safety statistics and our own experience as car accident attorneys, here are 10 leading causes of car accidents in Nevada.
- Speeding. Excessive speed makes it harder for a driver to control their vehicle and requires more time and distance to slow or stop when the driver recognizes a hazard. Speed is a major contributing factor to fatal crashes involving pedestrians, and bicyclists. Speeding is the leading cause of motor vehicle accidents in Nevada and it accounts for one-third of all traffic fatalities according to the Office of Traffic Safety’s Nevada Highway Strategic Safety Plan.
- Drunk Driving. Ninety-three traffic fatalities in Nevada in 2020 were blamed on alcohol impairment, according to the Office of Traffic Safety. From 2014 to 2018, alcohol impairment accounted for 47% of serious injuries and 17% of all fatalities in motor vehicle accidents. Drunk drivers tend to die in lane departure accidents, speed-related accidents, and intersection accidents (31%).
- Distracted Driving. The use of cell phones behind the wheel is a leading cause of distracted driving. But any behavior or object that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can be deadly. There were 11 distracted driving fatalities in Nevada in 2020. Nevada’s Zero Fatalities program says more than half of fatal distracted driving crashes are single-vehicle crashes. When a car hits a pedestrian or a bicyclist, it is more often because the driver was distracted than for any other reason.
- Reckless Driving / Aggressive Driving. Under Nevada law, reckless driving entails a willful disregard for the safety of people or property. It is deliberately driving in a manner that exposes others to the risk of harm. Reckless driving may involve speeding, tailgating, running traffic signals, or passing dangerously. Aggressive driving is committing a series of reckless acts within one mile of driving. These accidents are counted for statistical reports according to the various violations cited. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says aggressive driving is a major factor in U.S. traffic crashes, playing a role not just in road rage but in a large number of fatal highway collisions each year.
- Failure To Yield. Failing to stop or slow down to allow another driver with right-of-way to proceed leads to tens of thousands of car accidents every year in Nevada. Failure to yield is a common factor in Las Vegas intersection accidents. Drivers fail to yield because they are distracted, inattentive, or impaired or because they misjudge how quickly another vehicle will get through an intersection or make a turn.
- Fatigued or Drowsy Driving. Alcohol and drugs are not the only causes of impaired driving. Drowsy drivers are impaired in a manner that mimics drunkenness. Their reaction time is slower. Their physical coordination is diminished, and their thinking is foggy. Long-haul truckers and other professional drivers, new parents, and students who also work are most likely to be fatigued from lack of adequate sleep and to drive while drowsy.
- Inexperienced / Teen Drivers. Driving is a skill gained through experience. Many teen drivers get into serious car accidents in Nevada every year because of their lack of driving experience and immaturity. Teens are more likely than older drivers to fail to recognize dangerous situations and to make bad decisions that lead to serious crashes. Teenagers are more likely than older drivers to engage in distracted driving and other risky behavior such as speeding, drinking and driving, aggressive driving, and drowsy driving.
- Adverse Weather. Drivers who do not slow down adequately for rain, fog, icy conditions, sandstorms, or other adverse weather can be held accountable if they cause an accident. Careless drivers who cause car accidents because they did not exercise appropriate caution in inclement weather may be held accountable for injuries, property damage, and other losses they cause.
- Unfamiliar Roads. Because Las Vegas is a tourist destination, many car accidents in Clark County involve out-of-state drivers who are unfamiliar with local traffic patterns. While looking at a GPS app, a map, or other directions, a driver can easily get into a rear-end accident or hit a pedestrian or a cyclist. Being in an accident caused by someone who lives outside of Nevada may complicate an injury claim. But you still have a right to seek compensation from a negligent driver. Our Las Vegas injury attorneys handle many claims involving out-of-state drivers.
- Mechanical Problems. If a vehicle’s parts, such as brakes, steering, or tires are defective, a driver can lose control of the vehicle and crash. If mechanical problems are caused by faulty design or manufacturing, the manufacturer of the vehicle or the component part may be held accountable through a product liability claim. In other cases, the vehicle owner and/or others responsible for maintaining the vehicle may be held accountable for neglecting the vehicle’s safety.
Contact a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer
Contact Sam & Ash in Las Vegas today if you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Nevada. If someone else caused your injuries, you may have a right to demand compensation. We’ll listen to you, explain the legal options available, and work to pursue What’s Right for you. Phone 702-623-6439 or contact us online now!
Site by 