Seat Belts Save Lives

Know Nevada Seat Belt Laws

With Nevada traffic fatalities on the rise since last year, it is more important than ever to buckle up because seat belts save lives.

Buckling your seat belt could save your life and save you the hassle of being pulled over and fined. If you’re pulled over by police and cited for another infraction, they can also ticket you and your passenger(s) for not wearing a seat belt. It only takes two seconds to buckle up, and wearing your seat belt is the “single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash.” In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seat belts saved an estimated 12,584 lives in 2013 and latest NHTSA data reports that seat belts saved nearly 62,468 lives from 2009 to 2013, that’s enough people to fill a large stadium.

The NHTSA also launched its Click It or Ticket campaign in May last year to encourage the use of life-saving seat belts. Even with the life-saving statistics wearing a seat belt provides, many still fail to buckle up. It only takes two seconds and those seconds can save your life.

Nevada Statistics

The statistics in Nevada, according to Zero Fatalities Nevada, show:

  • You are 75% more likely to be killed in a rollover crash.
  • You are four times more likely to die in a crash if ejected from the vehicle.
  • You increase the risk of getting seriously injured or dying in a crash by 50%.
  • It will cost on average $44,329 to treat patients injured from not wearing a seat belt.
Nevada Seat Belt Laws

All Nevada drivers and passengers, including children over the age of 6 and weighing more than 60 pounds, must wear a seat belt. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website has important information concerning traffic laws, traffic safety and motor vehicle laws. 

Seat belt citations carry a $25 fine. The court costs and administration fees will run you about $70. The only good news is this costs you less than paying for treatment after being in a crash unbelted.

Make Seat Belts a Priority
  • Make it a habit to wear your seat belt at all times. Remember, it only takes two seconds to buckle up.
  • When in a vehicle, remind other passengers to buckle up.
  • Wear your seat belt correctly. Never put the shoulder belt behind your arm or back because it eliminates the protection and dangerously redistributes crash forces.

For those who think just because they have airbags in their car means they are safe in a crash situation, they must understand that airbags are designed to work with seat belts, not to replace them. When you fail to wear a seat belt and the airbag deploys, you run the risk of being thrown forcefully into an opening frontal airbag which “could injure or even kill you,” according to Safercar.

Seat belt failures and defects can pose serious issues as well. The quality of the materials, like the webbing used in the belts and and their ability to function properly must be up to standard. Be sure to check the safety of your seat belt and find out if it has been recalled.

Please remember to wear your seat belt and remind others to wear theirs when driving in the car. If we all do our part, we can help make our Nevada roadways safer and limit the serious injuries and senseless deaths that may have been prevented by simply buckling up in our vehicles.