Nevada Fatal Crash Statistics
The fatal crash statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that between 2005 and 2014, Nevada realized a significant decrease in fatal traffic accidents and the bad driving behaviors that often cause them. The decrease may be due in part to the adoption of the safety laws recommended by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
The number of drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents fell from a ten-year high of 618 to 404 in 2014, and the number of fatalities fell from 427 to 290. Young driver involvement fell from 68 to 37, possibly attributable to the implementation of the Graduated Driver’s License program.
About 145 of 290 fatalities were in passenger vehicles, and 65 were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident. While the state has a higher seatbelt usage rate than the national average, the NHTSA estimates that an additional ten lives could have been saved if all passengers wore their seat belts every time they got into a motor vehicle.
When we take a closer look at the types of crashes that caused these fatalities, we see that –
- 171 were single vehicle accidents
- 121 involved a vehicle leaving the roadway
- 88 involved traffic at or near an intersection
- 86 involved a vehicle rollover
- 17 involved one or more large trucks
Speeding was a contributing factor at least 100 highway deaths, and while this is a decrease from the ten-year high of 160 deaths, it is also an increase from a low of 76 deaths in 2011.
Driving drunk was a factor in the deaths of 93 people, a decrease from the high of 144 in 2006, but an increase from a low of 69 in both 2009 and 2010.
All motorcycle riders are required to wear their helmets when they ride, yet every year unhelmeted riders died in accidents. In fact, of the 63 riders that died in 2014, eight were not helmeted.
Motor vehicle fatal accidents fell nationally in 2014 in all areas except pedestrian deaths, and Nevada followed suit. In fact, the state realized the highest fatality deaths in 2014, with 70 walkers, joggers, and hikers killed in motor vehicle crashes, up from a low of 35 in 2009. These numbers represent a clear indication that the state needs to do more to protect the most vulnerable road users.
Another group of vulnerable road users is bicyclists, and while the state has seen an overall decline in cyclists’ deaths, down from 10 in 2005 to eight in 2014, this represents an increase from three deaths in 2012.
The state has done a lot to improve road safety. However, it has much more to do before it realizes zero preventable highway deaths.
Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident? Call Us Today!
Nevada’s highways and bi-ways are dangerous. If you or a family member were injured in a car accident or if a loved one was killed in a fatal crash, you need a dedicated team of attorneys and legal professionals fighting for your rights. Our attorneys have a long and proven record of helping the victims of car accidents get the compensation they deserve.
Call us today if you or a loved one were injured in a
- Commercial bus crashes
- School bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck crashes
- Motorcycle collisions
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Semi-truck crashes
We’ll fight insurance companies, negligent operators, and reckless drivers to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.