Nevada has been listed as one of the states with the least effective traffic laws to enforce highway safety.
The Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety (AHAS), a consumer-based auto safety group, compiled a list of states in the U.S. based on the number of traffic safety laws that were being enforced during 2016.
Each state is listed by a color-ranking system based on the number of AHAS-recommended traffic safety laws that have been implemented:
- Green: States that have 11 to 15 traffic laws that include both primary and rear enforcement seat belt laws or nine or more including both primary enforcement seat belt laws and an all-rider helmet law.
- Yellow: States that have six to ten traffic laws that include both primary and rear seat belt laws, or seven and above, without both (front and rear) primary enforcement seat belt laws.
- Red: States that have fewer than seven traffic laws and enforce both primary and rear seat belt laws.
Only five states currently enforce enough traffic safety laws to have received a “green” ranking by the AHAS:
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- Washington
- Louisiana
- Oregon
- District of Columbia
Nevada ranks among the 17 states that do not meet the standards listed by the AHAS, receiving a “red” rating by the AHAS.
The list is part of the AHAS’s annual report, the 2017 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws, which analyzes the effectiveness of each state’s traffic safety laws.
In 2016, the number of deaths caused by fatal traffic accidents in Nevada increased to 327. The rise in auto accident deaths reflects a national increase by eight percent, amounting to an estimated total of 27,875 in the first nine months of 2016.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has attributed the continuously growing number of traffic fatalities seen in recent years on distracted driving, the increasing number of drivers added to U.S. roads and the high number of miles driven by U.S. drivers.
However, the AHAS has also placed blame on states with inadequate traffic safety laws that would enforce or encourage safer driving.
Following Nevada’s traffic safety laws is vital to ensuring roadway safety. The Las Vegas auto accident attorneys at Henness & Haight can help those who have been injured or affected by an accident caused by a negligent driver. We will be able to estimate the damages in a free review of your claim and will not charge you any legal fees unless we help you receive compensation.