Following the rules of the road and obeying traffic laws will keep you and your family safe as well as prevent unnecessary increases on your insurance coverage. Knowing the driving and traffic laws in the state of Nevada will keep you from making some costly mistakes.
Driving under the influence in the state of Nevada is not taken lightly. If you are pulled over by an officer of the law under suspicion of driving while intoxicated, you cannot refuse to take the breathalyzer, blood or even a urine test.
If your blood alcohol level is above .08, or .02 if you are under the age of 21, your driver’s license will be revoked for 90 days and your vehicle may be impounded. The same rules apply if you are found to have a controlled substance on you when you were pulled over by a police officer.
If you are in an accident that has injuries or damages totaling $750 or more, it must be reported to the DMV. In the event that a police report was not made, all parties must fill out and file reports on DMV Form SR-1 within ten days of the accident.
The law in Nevada states that every occupant of the vehicle must be wearing a seat belt. Children under the age of five and weighing 40 pounds or less have to be seated in an approved safety seat. Kids under 6 and less than 60 pounds can be seated in a booster seat.
If you are not sure of the speed limit while you are driving, keep in mind that Nevada has a Basic Rule for driving. This means that you must take everything into consideration while driving even if you are driving within the posted speed limit. Weather conditions, traffic pileups and traffic lights that are out all add up and should be taken into account while driving.
The maximum speed limits on the highways vary from state to state. In Nevada, 75 mph is the speed limit on rural freeways for cars and trucks. On urban freeways you can drive at 65 mph and county and undivided rural roads have speed limits of 55-70. School zones vary between 15 and 25 mph. Make sure you pay attention to this area.
In Nevada it is legal to turn right on a red light after you have come to a complete stop, unless it is posted otherwise. And U-turns are legal if you can maneuver them safely and there is not a sign prohibiting them.
And you must stop for school buses as the children are getting on and off the bus while the red lights are flashing. If you are on a divided highway you do not have to stop.
