Despite the Covid Pandemic and the ensuing business shutdowns, the number of car crash deaths in Nevada rose by 3.3 percent in 2020 from the previous year. According to the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, there were 314 traffic-related fatalities on Nevada roads in 2020, 10 more from the previous year.
The increases in car crash deaths continued in the first half of 2021. In May 2021 alone, the total number of crashes and deaths were higher compared to May 2020. In that period, Clark County saw 86 deaths, a 31% increase in traffic fatalities. These Nevada traffic fatalities include deaths of automobile drivers and their passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The increase in traffic deaths from 2019 to 2020 came despite a 39 percent and 44 percent decrease in fatalities in March and May 2020. However, the summer months of 2020 saw an uptick in traffic deaths. Compared to the same time in 2019, June 2020 saw a 47 percent increase in traffic deaths.
In 2020, Emptier Roads Turned into Racetracks, Impaired and Distracted Driving was Reported as More Widespread, Protections Like Seat Belt Use Appear to Have Dipped, and the Traffic Fatality Rate Spike.
According to a report by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS), the increase in car crash deaths is part of a nationwide problematic trend. According to the report, even as overall traffic reduced, “the fatality rate increased dramatically and it was reported that dangerous behaviors such as excessive speed, lack of seat belt use and impaired and distracted driving were on the rise.”
Every day on average, approximately 100 people are killed & over 7,500 more are injured on America’s roads.
The increased traffic fatalities are not limited to cars and SUVs on the roads. The AHAS report cited statistics showing a 48% increase in large truck crashes from 2009 to 2019.
Another factor cited in contributing to some of these deaths is the failure to use seatbelts. In Nevada from 2019 to 2020, the number of unrestrained driver and passenger fatalities increased by 20 percent.
The AHAS criticized Nevada’s seatbelt enforcement as not being enough. In Nevada, drivers can’t be stopped for merely not wearing a seatbelt. Instead, drivers can only be cited for non-seatbelt use in conjunction with another citation.
To mitigate the increase in car crash deaths, the AHAS have championed for better laws and adoption of advanced life-saving technology. The AHAS called for making available affordable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, also known as ADAS, more available and more affordable. Examples of ADAS include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection systems. This group is calling for federal and state lawmakers to adopt minimum safety standards for ADAS.
Its platform includes lobbying lawmakers to update current performance standards for vehicles. For example, citing the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the group criticized the performance of headlights in most vehicles.
The AHAS also called for changes not just in consumer vehicles but also for large trucks. It reported that U.S. Department of Transportation have ignored many lifesaving truck safety advances, “including effective underride guards, adequate entry-level driver training, and screening for obstructive sleep apnea.”
Car Crash Deaths and Wrongful Death Claims
If someone you love lost their life in a traffic accident, you may have a wrongful death claim. Such a claim is a type of claim made for the death caused by the negligence or other wrongful conduct of another. The death of anyone can have devastating emotional, psychological, and financial consequences to those left behind. Unexpectedly losing someone in a car crash leave people unprepared for those consequences.
Nevada law allows a deceased person’s immediately family or the person’s heirs to seek compensation for the loss of that person’s companionship and love, the family’s grief, and lost financial support. Imagine a child’s loss, growing up with a father or a mother.
The estate of the decedent can also make a claim for the decedent’s medical bills, as well as for the pain and suffering the person suffered before dying.
If you have suffered a loss of a loved one in a tragic accident, call the personal injury lawyers of D.R. Patti & Associates and see if you have a wrongful death claim. At our firm, you will speak with an experienced and skilled car accident attorney. We will investigate your claim and gather the evidence necessary to prove your case. Most importantly, we will be there for you every step of the way through this tough time.