Category: Motor Vehicle Accidents

Each year, a high number of backover accidents occur across the U.S., often resulting in serious injuries or death. Backover collisions occur when drivers reverse into nonoccupants, such as children playing, pedestrians, or bicyclists. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, backing crashes cause an average of 13,000 injuries and 232 deaths annually.

Most car accident cases reach settlements without going to court. Doing so can help injured victims avoid the unpredictability of a jury trial, receive compensation more quickly, save money on litigation costs, and achieve closure. While settling a personal injury claim out of court can be the quickest option, however, going to trial may be necessary in some cases.

The implementation of roadside blood draw programs may help cut down on drugged driving accidents. As more states legalize marijuana and the opioid epidemic continues, crashes involving drug-impaired drivers are an increasing problem that puts everyone on the road at risk for serious injuries or death. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, of the drivers killed in auto collisions in 2016 who were tested, 43.6% had drugs in their systems.

A number of activities distract Nevada motorists’ attention from driving. People spend a lot of time in their cars, and it may seem like an opportune time to get some things done, like returning a friend’s call, listening to some new music, eating lunch, or checking an email. However, doing these seemingly little things while behind the wheel may significantly impair the ability of drivers to control and safely operate their vehicles. Consequently, this distracted driving behavior increases the risk of collisions, which may result in injuries or death. Thousands of people are killed and nearly one-half million are injured annually in distracted driving crashes.

When motor vehicles suffer mechanical failures on the road, serious auto accidents often result. Most crashes in Nevada are caused by human error. However, sometimes vehicle parts or systems fail, impairing drivers’ ability to operate their vehicles and potentially resulting in motor vehicle collisions.

In Nevada, drivers who are most likely to leave the scene of fatal crashes tend to be younger men who have suspended licenses and who might be driving drunk at the time of the accidents. Hit and run accidents have increased over the last few years, and the increase might be due to several factors, including an increased number of vehicles on the road, the improved economy, larger vehicles, speeding, drunk driving, and an increase in distracted driving.

In September, Nevada had 21 traffic fatalities during the first 10 days of the month, and law enforcement officers state that drunk and drugged driving are largely to blame. One-third of the fatal accidents that occurred in 2017 were caused by drivers who were impaired. The other accident fatalities resulted from reckless driving, including running red lights, speeding, and failing to wear seatbelts. The city is trying to figure out how to change people’s behavior so that they do not drive while they are impaired or in a reckless manner to save lives.

In March 2018, Ford issued a recall of 1.4 million Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans stretching from 2014 to 2018 models because the steering wheel in these vehicles can suddenly detach from the steering column and drivers can lose control. The steering system is critical for a driver’s ability to control his or her vehicle. The maintenance of a steady course and the negotiation of turns rely upon the correct operation of the steering system. The system includes the power steering pump, rack and pinion, hydraulic lines, and many other essential components. Design, manufacturing, or installation mistakes can cause these components to fail.

Using Snapchat while driving puts drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk for car accidents that cause serious injuries or death. The social media app contributes to distracted driving. It also encourages people to drive at high-speeds and participate in other dangerous behaviors while behind the wheel.