A second person was also seriously injured when an out-of-control smashed into another truck.
The wreck occurred near the intersection of West Flamingo Road and Marble Ridge Drive. A 17-year-old driver in a Jeep Wrangler was speeding when he failed to yield to a left-turning Toyota Sienna. Both vehicles toppled over as a result of the crash. The Toyota driver died at the scene; the other driver was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
None of the names were released.
Speed in Las Vegas Car Crashes
Velocity multiplies stopping distance just like it multiples the force in collisions between two objects.
At 30mph, most cars travel six car lengths before they stop safely, even after the driver applies the brakes. At 60mph, stopping distance triples to eighteen car lengths. The force inside the vehicle is multiplied as well. If that car traveling 60mph suddenly stops, the people and objects inside the car keep moving forward at the same speed. Only a collision with another solid object, like the windshield or a person’s head, stops the forward movement.
The stopping distance figure is just an average statistic. A number of factors make speeding vehicles even more difficult to control, such as:
- Vehicle Weight: For example, if a pickup is towing a boat, the pickup’s brakes are only designed to stop the vehicle. The added weight increases stopping distance, because the brakes must work even harder.
- Center of Gravity: A passenger car’s center of gravity is close to the ground, so it is easier to control. But trucks and SUVs sit higher, so they have a higher center of gravity. That makes them more difficult to control and more prone to rollover.
- Driver Experience: If a driver switches from a car to an SUV, there will be some adjustment. Similarly, if a driver is in unfamiliar territory, the driver’s attention may be divided between a GPS navigation device and the road.
Many of these same factors also apply to third-party liability in Nevada car crashes, as outlined below.
Negligent Entrustment in Nevada Car Wreck Cases
People under 18 cannot own property. So, when a teenager causes a car crash, that tortfeasor (negligent driver) was operating someone else’s vehicle. That arrangement usually gives rise to the negligent entrustment doctrine. Owners are vicariously liable for damages if they allow incompetent drivers to borrow their vehicles.
To establish incompetence, Nevada victim/plaintiffs may use either direct or circumstantial evidence. Some examples include:
- Direct Evidence: People without drivers’ licenses are incompetent as a matter of law, no matter how much experience they have. The same conclusion applies to a person who drives in violation of license restrictions, such as no freeway driving or no driving without glasses.
- Circumstantial Evidence: As mentioned earlier, drivers who lack experience in a certain kind of vehicle or in a certain area often have a hard time controlling these vehicles.
Some states have outlawed negligent entrustment if the tortfeasor was using a family car. But Nevada has gone the opposite way. Because of the 1957 Family Purpose Statute, it is easier to prove negligent entrustment in these situations.
Count On an Experienced Lawyer
A speeding driver is a dangerous thing, and the vehicle owner may be financially responsible. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Las Vegas, contact Naqvi Injury Law. We do not charge upfront legal fees in negligence cases.