It’s often said that one of the reasons we have so many car accidents in Las Vegas is because of people moving here from all over the country.  DMV.org, a website that sums up the driving laws in all 50 states, including Nevada. 

Here’s a summary of some of the laws you should be aware of, but I strongly suggest getting to know them all.

Headlights

Headlights must be used from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise, and whenever conditions make it impossible to see clearly at least 1,000 feet ahead.

High beams should not be used within 500 feet of approaching traffic, or 300 feet of trailing traffic.

Seat Belts

Anyone six years and older riding in a motor vehicle must wear a safety belt, if the vehicle is required to have safety belts.

Vehicles built after 1969 must have at least lap-type safety belts for all riders, plus shoulder harnesses for front-seat riders.

Vehicles built between 1968-1969 need only have lap-type safety belts for front seat riders.

Child Safety Seats

Children who are younger than six or weigh less than 60 pounds must ride in an approved safety restraint system.

In addition, children who are younger than one or weigh less than 20 pounds must ride facing the rear of the vehicle.

Children are generally safest riding in the back seat.  In fact, with vehicles containing front seat passenger air bags, infants should always ride in the back seat.

If you don’t properly restrain child passengers, you can be fined, forced to perform community service, and have your license suspended.

Cell Phones

There are currently no statewide restrictions on cell phone use while driving in Nevada.

Helmets

If you ride a motorcycle, you are required to wear a helmet.  In addition, on cycles without windscreens, you must protect yourself by using glasses, goggles or face shields.

Reporting an Unsafe Driver

Motorists can call *647 (or *NHP) on their cell phones to alert the Nevada Highway Patrol about accidents, disabled vehicles, hazardous situations, and potentially drunk drivers.

Unattended Children

Leaving a child younger than seven in a vehicle without proper supervision (someone at least 12 years old) is considered a misdemeanor, if doing so endangers the child’s health and safety.

The state also considers leaving a child in a situation where physical or mental harm may take place (due to abuse or neglect) to be child endangerment.

 Adam S. Kutner

Nevada-based author Dana Sullivan, a frequent contributor to Your Baby Today, Fit Pregnancy and Parenting magazines wrote an article that parents should be aware of.  I thought it would be of interest to my readers.

The article is titled “The Top Five Mistakes Parents Make with Car Seats.”  It talks about the importance of reading and following directions when using a car seat.  Sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t do it.  Here are the top five mistakes parents make with car seats, according to Julie Prom, a certified child passenger safety expert:

1. Buying the wrong seat for a particular car.  Some seats fit better in certain cars than others.  But the only way you’ll know which seats work best in your car(s) is through trial and error.  If possible, months before your baby is born, go to a baby store and ask to install several different models in your car until you find one that fits. “I tell people to do this before they start looking at cribs,” says Prom. “A safe car seat is one of the most important purchases a parent can make for her baby.” You can also call your hospital or fire department, or visit the SafeKids website, to find out when and where the next car-seat safety check will be held in your area.
2. Facing baby forward too soon and/or using a seat that doesn’t fit properly. Infants should be in the rear-facing position, in either an infant carrier (a seat with a carrying handle) or a convertible seat (a seat you can turn forward when your baby is big enough) until they are one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds, whichever comes last.  If your under-one-year infant is so tall that his/her head reaches the top of the infant carrier, you need to switch her into a convertible seat, but keep her facing rear.  Many convertibles accommodate children in the rear or forward position until they weigh about 35-40 pounds.
3. Not tightening the car seat enough.  Make sure the seat doesn’t move more than approximately one inch from side to side or front to back.  Read the car seat manufacturer’s instructions so you know where to thread the seat belt, and your vehicle’s manual so you know whether you must use a locking clip to secure the seat belt.  Be sure to install the locking clip next to the latch plate.
4. Positioning the harness height incorrectly.   Read the car seat’s instruction manual to determine the proper harness height. Some harnesses should sit level with your infant’s shoulders, others should be set just below. You will need to adjust the harness height as your baby grows.
5. Not tightening the harness enough.  Adjust the harness so you can’t slide more than two fingers between the harness and your baby.  And, make sure that the chest clip is at your baby’s armpit level to keep the harness in place.

Read the entire article here:

http://articles.directorym.com/The_top_five_mistakes_parents_make_with_ car_seats_Nevada-r903051-Nevada.html

Sincerely,

Adam S. Kutner

“The good in gas prices”

I saw this article in the Las Vegas Sun last week and after reading the headline, said “How can this be? With a gallon of gas reaching $5 a gallon how can anything be good in that! Well, it turns out there is….

“The high cost of gasoline may be killing the economy, but also it may be saving lives.

Fewer drivers are using state highways, and fewer people are dying on those roads.

In May, just about the time gas hit $4, the state Transportation Department’s traffic counts at 21 sites in Clark County were down 6 percent overall compared with the May 2007 counts. Only three of the sites posted traffic increases, and at an average of about 1 percent.

“When you’ve seen this report … over last 10 to 20 years, it’s been consistent increases every year,” said DOT spokesman Scott Magruder. “We had even seen the tripling of traffic on some roads over a period of 10 years. So any reduction not attributed to a new road or highway is very significant.”

Over roughly the first half of this year, the number of deaths on the highways and city roads has declined dramatically since early 2007.

As of June 22, Metro had seen a 32 percent drop in traffic fatalities, 61 since Jan. 1, compared with 90 in the same period of 2007.”

The article goes on to accredit stricter traffic enforcement by the Metro Police and better diving to the fall in traffic related deaths.

Read the entire article at http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/01/good-gas-prices/

Sincerely,
Adam S. Kutner