A preliminary count from state officials shows that number of fatalities on Nevada roads have been on a decline since the start of 2023, compared to last year. This past January, there were 25 traffic related fatalities, which is down from the 28 in 2022. Of those fatalities, 18 were in Clark County, who saw 25 fatalities last year during this time [1]
16 of the deaths reported this year were due to an unrestrained passenger, an increase from last year’s six. Additionally, there were ten pedestrian deaths (also an increase from last year’s seven), two motorcycle deaths, and one biker death.
In addition to impairment and speeding, unrestrained drivers continue to be a factor in many of the fatal accidents in Nevada. Data from 2019 shows that only 94.2 percent of Nevadans wear their seatbelt while on the road. While this is above the national average of 91 percent, it still means that about 200,000 Nevadans are not buckling up while on the road. In addition, of the 172 fatalities on the road in 2019, 46 percent were unrestrained, with 62 percent of the nighttime fatalities involving an unrestrained passenger. [2]
While wearing a seatbelt seems trivial and is often hammered into our conscious, it is one of the most important steps a driver or passenger can take to keep themselves safe while in a car. In 2020, seat belts saved an estimated 15,000 lives on roads in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association found that buckling up in the front of a passenger car reduces risk of fatal injury by 45 percent and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent. Additionally, buckling up in a truck can reduce risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate to critical injury by 65 percent [3].
Also, seatbelts work with other safety mechanisms in your car, such as airbags to optimize your safety. In fact, airbags alone cannot protect you from injury, and being unrestrained can increase the impact of the airbag causing serious harm. Additionally, wearing a seatbelt improperly can increase the risk of injury if you are involved in a crash.
[2] https://ots.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/otsnvgov/content/Programs/PrimarySeatbelt.pdf
Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers
Summerlin Location
11441 Allerton Park Dr #100
Las Vegas, NV 89135
Phone: 702-684-6900
Fax: 702-382-9798
Downtown Location
626 S 10th St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-382-9797
Fax: 702-382-9798
Henderson Location
9230 S Eastern Ave #155
Las Vegas, NV 89123
Phone: 702-463-2900
Fax: 702-382-9798
Reno Location
1320 E Plumb Lane Ste A
Reno, NV 89502
Phone: 775-600-6000
Fax: 702-382-9798
Joseph L. Benson II, and Ben J. Bingham, Personal Injury Attorneys
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