By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas

Since we are approaching another holiday weekend, law enforcement authorities are gearing up for more travelers on the roads. In addition, they are implementing a crackdown on seat belt scofflaws as part of their latest “Click It or Ticket” campaign. In Nevada, all occupants of a vehicle are required by law to be wearing a seat belt or face a fine of $25.

This year’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign is being assisted by a Las Vegas family who lost their teenage daughter in a car accident earlier this year where she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. A teen was returning from a college visit in Reno when the car she was in hit another vehicle and rolled over. The teen was thrown from the car, but the other two occupants survived the crash. She was a cheerleader and the homecoming queen of Shadow Ridge High School.

The teen’s parents say that they are trying to urge people to take the time to put on their seat belts. Besides the safety benefits for yourself, there are other practical reasons why wearing a seat belt is a good idea.

If you lose control of your vehicle for any reason (wet roads, ice, blowout, etc.), you may be bounced around the passenger compartment and be unable to regain control of it. Even if it happens for a split second, it may be long enough for you to cause a motor vehicle collision with another vehicle – which you will probably be held responsible for.
Also, if you are injured in a car, truck, or SUV crash which is not your fault and then file a personal injury lawsuit, the defense may argue that your injuries were more severe because you chose not to wear a seat belt. A jury or judge may subsequently reduce your damage award as a result.

So this holiday weekend, keep in mind that wearing a seat belt is a smart choice – in more ways than one.

About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.