Las Vegas traffic runs 24/7, and so do its collision risks. Across the metro area, most serious crashes trace back to a small set of behaviors: impaired driving, speeding, distraction, and failing to yield. By focusing on the top causes of local crashes, you can better recognize what happened to you and what evidence will matter most going forward.
If you were hurt in a Nevada car crash and are already fielding calls from insurers, an experienced Las Vegas accident lawyer at Dobberstein Law Group can review your situation early, explain your options under Nevada law, and take over communication so you are not pressured into a quick, low settlement.
Top 1: Impaired Driving on a 24-Hour Party Corridor
Studies of Nevada collisions show that impaired driving is the single largest contributor to fatal car accidents statewide, including Las Vegas, with alcohol and drugs involved in a majority of deadly crashes. Between the Strip, downtown, Henderson, and North Las Vegas, drivers frequently mix alcohol, marijuana, and other substances with late-night traffic, leading to high-energy impacts and severe injuries.
For victims, proving impairment can significantly strengthen a claim. Police reports, field sobriety tests, toxicology results, casino or bar receipts, and surveillance video often become key evidence. Personal injury lawyers in Las Vegas routinely work with experts and toxicologists to show how impaired reaction times and poor judgment caused the collision.
If you suspect the other driver was under the influence, tell officers at the scene what you observed (slurred speech, odor of alcohol, stumbling) and request that those observations be documented. An injury attorney can then use that record to pursue compensation for emergency treatment, follow-up care, wage loss, and long-term limitations.
Top 2: Speeding and Aggressive Driving on Urban Arterials
Clark County has some of Nevada’s highest-speed urban corridors, and reports show that speeding is involved in a significant percentage of serious and fatal crashes. Drivers who treat I-15, the 215 Beltway, and main surface roads like raceways reduce their stopping distance and increase the force of impact. Tailgating, sudden lane changes, and racing between lights amplify the danger.
In many cases, the at-fault driver denies speeding. Skilled Las Vegas injury attorneys can look beyond the driver’s story and use physical evidence such as skid marks, crash damage, event data recorders (“black boxes”), and traffic-camera footage to estimate speed and prove reckless conduct. That proof can support higher damages for pain and suffering when the defense argues the collision was “just an accident.”
Whether your crash occurred on a surface street in Summerlin or involved personal injury claims on a major arterial, enforcing speed limits through civil claims sends a clear message that dangerous driving has financial consequences.
Top 3: Distracted Driving and Phone Use Behind the Wheel
Modern vehicles and smartphones create constant temptation for drivers. Nevada safety data and local analyses confirm that distracted driving (texting, social media, GPS programming, and in-car screens) plays a significant role in Las Vegas collisions each year. Even a few seconds of diverted attention at 45 mph can mean a full car length of travel without looking at the road.
In practice, distraction can be harder to prove than impairment. Personal injury claims in Las Vegas often rely on indirect indicators: phone records showing recent texts, vehicle data demonstrating no braking before impact, and witness testimony that a driver was looking down just before the crash. A Las Vegas accident lawyer can subpoena records and work with digital-forensics professionals to establish a clear timeline.
If you are hit by a driver you believe was using a phone, note that fact in your statement to police and mention it in your initial consultation with an attorney. The sooner potential sources of digital evidence are identified, the better the chance they can be preserved.
Top 4: Failure to Yield and Dangerous Intersections
Las Vegas and its surrounding communities have a high density of signalized intersections and complex turn lanes. State and local crash data show that failing to yield the right of way is a leading cause of intersection crashes. Side-impact (“T-bone”) collisions in these settings often cause severe neck, back, and head injuries. Intersection cases commonly focus on:
- Whether the at-fault driver had a protected green arrow or only a yield signal
- Whether a driver accelerated to “beat” a yellow light
- How pedestrian signals, crosswalks, and sight lines affected visibility
Top 5: Nighttime, Tourism, and Fatigue in a High-Volume City
The Las Vegas metro area accounts for the majority of Nevada’s crashes and traffic deaths, driven by rapid population growth, a tourism-based economy, and heavy nighttime traffic. Visitors unfamiliar with local roads mix with shift workers, rideshare vehicles, and fatigued drivers leaving resorts or jobs. Reduced visibility at night, combined with congested corridors and drowsy motorists, increases the risk of rear-end crashes, side-swipes, and pedestrian strikes.
In these conditions, even a careful driver can be hit by someone who misjudges a lane change or drifts across center lines. Personal injury lawyers in Las Vegas often see patterns where fatigue, alcohol, and distraction overlap. Fact-finding may include employment records to show long work hours, hotel receipts to place drivers in nightlife districts, and cell-phone location data to reconstruct the trip.
Las Vegas Accident Lawyer Can Help in Your Car Accident Claim
When a preventable crash in Las Vegas leaves you facing medical bills, missed work, and insurance pressure, Dobberstein Law Group offers trial-tested Las Vegas injury attorneys who can move quickly to secure evidence, value your claim, and pursue full compensation—call 702-430-8900 or visit this page and start a focused case review.