Nevada Ranked On DUI Enforcement

Motorists and pedestrians in Nevada face the risk of injury or even death from a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Like other states, Nevada has laws to combat this problem and punish violators. A study done this year placed Nevada 18th in the country for DUI enforcement. It was ranked 23rd in the country concerning its criminal penalties and placed 11th in drunk driving prevention.

The state has a mandatory two-day prison sentence for the first drunk driving conviction and 10 days for a second conviction. However, the minimum sentence may be lowered if the driver completes community service or drug or alcohol treatment education. A DUI becomes an automatic felony after a third offense.

Prior convictions still factor into penalties for 10 years. In Nevada, alcohol abuse assessment and treatment are mandatory following a conviction. Like 43 other states, Nevada has an automatic 90-day driver’s license suspension following a drunk driving conviction.

Drunk driving no longer ranks among the country’s top ten causes of death because fatalities fell by 57 percent from 1982 to 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, the NHTSA also reported that drunk driving was still responsible for 29 percent of all traffic deaths in 2015 and causes around 10,000 fatalities each year.

Victims of these accidents and their families may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and other losses. An attorney can help seek fair and just compensation and assure that a lawsuit is timely filed.

Source: WalletHub, “Strictest And Most Lenient States On DUI,” Alina Comoreanu, Aug. 10, 2017