Sadly, every year approximately 16,000 people are killed in DUI related car crashes. That’s one person, every half hour of every day, for the entire year. If you’ve been drinking—at all—and you’re considering picking up the keys to drive yourself home, or to run to the store, or even just to drive to a friend’s house several blocks away, you must reconsider. The majority of DUIs occur in the driver’s own neighborhood and surrounding vicinity, so it’s important to remember that the minute you place the key into the ignition, no matter how close you are to your destination, you are putting yourself (and everyone else on the road) in harm’s way. Think twice. Ask a friend for a ride, or call a cab. Alcohol not only impairs your brain’s ability to react quickly, it also impairs your vision and depth perception. Each of these qualities is essential when driving, which is why the current Las Vegas DUI laws have been set in place. It’s also important to keep an eye out at house parties, bars, or night clubs, of your friends who may have had one too many drinks and are considering getting behind the wheel. The small inconvenience and annoyance you may feel when confronting a friend in a situation like this is far less disturbing than what your friend will need to deal with when he or she faces the aftermath of receiving a DUI conviction. If you believe a friend or loved one is impaired from alcohol or drugs, take the car keys from them, and help them to find a safer way home. Once...
We Are Living in the Future Anyone remember Conan O’Brien’s sketch: “In the Year 2000”? It was on the original Conan O’Brien show back in the 1990s. Conan and Andy put on their space suits, turned the lights down low, and made laughable predictions about what the world would be like once the new millennium rolled around. I’ll share a few predictions here: “In the year 2000…50 million viewers will tune in to watch the series finale of Friends, where it is finally revealed that New York has black people.” “In the year 2000… Jesus Christ returns to earth but quickly leaves when he discovers the 55 cent Egg McMuffin deal has expired.” “In the year 2000…In a tell-all autobiography, the planet Jupiter swears that it never had a red spot until after it had unprotected sex with Venus.” Well, here we are over two decades later, and Jupiter has yet to come clean about its dirty past. We do, however, have some other exciting news to report: Self-driving cars. Google received a license from the state Department of Motor vehicles to test these futuristic vehicles right here in Nevada. There is a fleet of around eight different cars being tested: six Toyota Priuses, an Audi TT, and a Lexus RX450h. License plates issued for self-driving cars will have a red background with an infinity symbol on the left side. “I feel using the infinity symbol was the best way to represent the ‘car of the future,’” Las Vegas Department of Motor Vehicles Director, Bruce Breslow, said. The new technology combines artificial intelligence software, a global positioning system, and...
Hello Las Vegas Drivers! In just under a week, the aptly named “Click It or Ticket” campaign begins yet again to remind those behind the wheel that they MUST buckle up…because their lives depend on it. What caused this campaign to re-surface? Several months ago, a violent three-car collision caused two people to pass away…one of whom was ejected from his vehicle because he was not wearing a seatbelt. Because of this and the increasing number of recent fatalities due to people not following the seat-belt law, Las Vegas Merto Police will now be targeting anyone who fails to buckle-up. But remember this: the seat-belt law is not there to inconvenience you; it’s there to keep you safe. Studies continue to show that an individual is twice as likely to survive a collision if he or she is wearing a seatbelt. It’s simply not worth the risk to go seatbelt-less! And really, how easy is it to pull that strap across your shoulder and chest? You can handle it. Despite the ease of buckling up, Nevada Highway Patrol is aware that people usually don’t follow laws like this until it hits them “in their pocketbooks.” So even though Nevada doesn’t have a primary seatbelt law yet, officers WILL now find a reason to stop you for other violations (so they can write you the secondary seatbelt ticket), especially during the campaign beginning next week and running through the beginning of June. Bottom line: Find some other way to rebel, put your seatbelt on! So if you do decide to not wear your seatblet and receive a Las Vegas Traffic...
It’s frustrating to hit the brakes in construction zones when no workers are present. But guess what? You will receive a Las Vegas speeding ticket in a construction zone, regardless of whether or not workers are there when you’re speeding. If a cop catches you going above the posted ‘work-zone’ limit, you’re toast! Even more severe is speeding in a construction zone when workers ARE present. If you thought receiving a regular Las Vegas traffic ticket was bad, prepare yourself for double the penalties (up to $1,000), possible community service, and multiple visits to court. The best thing you can do to avoid receiving a costly Las Vegas speeding ticket is to watch for the posted work-zone limit—which may be far below the regular highway limit. Throughout the year, the Nevada Department of Transportation works to keep drivers and road workers safe using protective barriers, warning signs, lower speed limits, lane closures and flaggers in certain work zones. Watch for all of these signals and barriers, and remember that work zones are not there to inconvenience you; they are necessary to improve the roadway and to safely guide drivers. Construction updates are available by logging onto www.nvroads.com or calling ‘511’ before driving. If you receive a Las Vegas traffic ticket in a construction zone, call the Law Office of Mark Coburn at (702) 382-2000 immediately for your free...
