- Failure to follow traffic rules
- Drunk driving
- Exceeding speed limit
- Careless driving
Vegas Car Crashes
Fortunately, Nevada is showing a little progress over previous years. Here are some recent statistics from the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety:
- Nevada: In 2017, there were 311 fatalities, down from 329 in 2016.
- Clark County: In 2017, there were 208 fatalities, down from 217 in 2016.
Causes of Car Crashes in Las Vegas
America has more fatal crashes than any other wealthy nation. The NHTSA cites the following as the major contributors to risky driving:
Drunk driving: Roughly 29 people die each day in the U.S. in alcohol-impaired vehicle crashes. Drunk-driving fatalities have fallen by 30 percent in the last 30 years, but they are still responsible for more than 10,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
Drug-impaired driving: This may include prescription or over-the-counter medications and illicit drugs. To measure drug use by American drivers, a 2013-2014 National Roadside Survey used a stratified random sample of weekend nighttime drivers in the contiguous 48 States and collected data directly from drivers on the road. This study revealed that 20 percent of weekend drivers tested positive for drugs with potential to impair driving skills.
Distracted driving: Distracted driving is failing to devote your full attention to the job of safe driving. Common distractions including talking on the phone, texting, eating, talking with passengers, and adjusting your stereo or navigation system. Distracted driving claimed nearly 3,500 lives in 2016.
Failure to wear seat belts: According to the NHTSA, buckling up in the front seat of a car can lower your risk of fatal injury by 45 percent and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent. In a light truck, those figures rise to 60 percent and 65 percent respectively. Around 90 percent of Americans currently buckle up, but over 27 million have still failed to adopt this all-important practice.
Speeding: Speeding accounts for approximately a quarter of all traffic fatalities. It creates greater potential for losing control of a vehicle, makes it harder to stop on time, increases the severity of crashes and injuries, and causes you to use more gas.
Drowsy driving: Sleepy drivers caused accidents that killed nearly 800 people in 2017. These accidents most frequently occurred in the late afternoon and between midnight and 6 a.m. They often involved a single driver and occurred on rural roads and highways.
Car Crashes in Las Vegas
Traffic accidents can cause a raft of different injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI), neck and back injuries (whiplash, herniated discs, etc.), spinal injuries, soft tissue injuries (stretched muscles and tendons with lingering pain), burns, and more.
If you have been injured in a car accident, contact Tingey Injury Law Firm to schedule a consultation with an experienced auto accident injury attorney in Las Vegas.
Vehicular accidents often happen not just because of faulty machine or engines but because of human errors. Drivers who are drunk, drug-impaired, distracted and speeding are often the cause of accidents that injure not just themselves but also other people. Be a gentle driver so you can keep yourself and your passengers safe all the time. Get to know this car crash statistics so you’ll fear to involve yourself in it.
