Las Vegas appears dedicated to its distractions as the Entertainment Capital of the World. Add intoxicating substances, and you have two of the top causes for so many car accidents in Las Vegas.
Just Too Much to See and Do
Law Enforcement investigating car accidents in Las Vegas might list causes like Failure to Yield or Excessive Speed. But almost every reason for Las Vegas traffic accidents can be categorized under the heading: Driver Inattention/Distraction, and anything a driver does besides driving is an attention stealer.
Many risky driving behaviors involve cell phones. Conduct to avoid when driving includes:
- Texting while driving
- Navigational searches
- Internet searches
- Making or receiving phone calls
- And more
Would you drive 55 mph with your eyes closed for five seconds? If so, you will have traveled the length of a football field blind. Sending or reading a text takes about 5 seconds, and Nevada law prohibits cell phone use for all drivers while driving.
When operating a motor vehicle on a highway in Nevada, you may not manually compose, read, or send text messages. There are some exceptions to the law. These include:
- Emergency use by someone acting within the scope of their employment as a first responder or law enforcement
- Any person reporting on or requesting assistance for a medical emergency, a safety hazard, or criminal activity
- A qualified person providing communication services during an impending disaster or emergency
- And other exceptions
The restrictions apply to reading from a handheld device or holding it to your ear to speak while driving.
It is legal to use a hands-free, voice-activated, or Bluetooth-capable cell phone in Nevada. Thus, in a nutshell, don’t have a cell phone in your hand while driving.
The penalties for violating this law include fines from $50 for a first offense up to $250 for third or subsequent offenses within seven years of the last violation.
Research studies show that using cell phones while driving slows reaction time, whether handheld or hands-free. Your odds are four times greater to get into an accident when using a cell phone, and this risk is almost the same as driving with blood alcohol at the legal limit.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence, DUI is often only thought of as driving drunk. While driving under the influence of alcohol is an egregious contributing cause of car wrecks, alcohol is not the only substance that impairs a person’s driving ability. Impaired driving includes driving under the influence of marijuana, prescription drugs, or alcohol.
Impaired driving is not unlike distracted driving because all distracted driving involves driver choices. This category of distracted driving accounts for over 40% of the fatal crashes in Nevada. Using drugs or alcohol and driving is a choice.
Driving impaired is a civil wrong. A person driving under the influence of marijuana owes other motorists and pedestrians a duty to drive with sufficient care.
If a driver under the influence of marijuana injures you, contact a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer at The Schnitzer Law Firm. Establishing that the at-fault driver was under the influence of marijuana requires an investigation that can include:
- Discovering evidence of marijuana or drug paraphernalia in the vehicle
- Interviewing witnesses who can testify the driver smelled of marijuana
- Interviewing witnesses who saw the driver use marijuana before driving
- And more
Although a breathalyzer test will show if a driver was using alcohol, it will not indicate the presence of marijuana. People owe their fellow travelers reasonable care when driving. Making a plausible showing that a driver was under the influence of marijuana can strongly show they were negligent. This fact is because if marijuana impairs a person’s ability to drive safely, they are at fault for the collision.
What to Do If You Are Injured in a Car Wreck
It is no excuse, but people make mistakes, get in a hurry, or carelessly take a risk they know they shouldn’t. Sometimes, their carelessness causes a wreck. When this happens, those injured due to the distracted driver’s negligence deserve compensation. If you are injured in a car wreck, you have the right to be compensated for:
- Property damages
- Loss of income
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- And more
Call the number below to speak to a lawyer at The Schnitzer Law Firm. When damages occur, you have the right to compensate for your losses entirely. The Schnitzer Law Firm attorneys stand by their clients to ensure car accident victims receive total compensation.
Call or Click Today
There are many reasons for the high number of car accidents in Las Vegas. But when residents or visitors to the City of Lights get involved in Las Vegas traffic accidents, they visit the Las Vegas law firm, The Schnitzer Law Firm online at theschnitzerlawfirm.com or call (702) 960-4050 to request a FREE consultation.
