With affordable housing and a safer, more family-friendly atmosphere compared to neighboring Las Vegas, Henderson is often included in lists of the best places in Nevada to live. Unfortunately, even nice places have drawbacks.
As reported by KVVU Fox 5, a recent study reveals that the Las Vegas metropolitan area, including Henderson, ranks 22nd in the country for the most traffic congestion and 127th in traffic congestion compared to 1,000 of the world’s largest cities.
If you’re involved in a car accident in Henderson, the congested roads can make the aftermath even more frustrating.
That’s when a car accident lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal process and fight for your rights.
Here is a look at where car accidents occur most often in Henderson.
Intersections Are the Most Common Place for Accidents to Occur
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), more than 50 percent of fatal or injury accidents occur at or near intersections.
These are the areas where drivers must process the most information, including determining when they have the right-of-way and ensuring that other drivers are granting it while simultaneously looking for pedestrians and other potential hazards.
Some of the common causes of collisions in an intersection include:
- Failing to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic when making a left turn on a solid green light or a flashing arrow.
- Approaching the intersection at too high of a speed.
- One vehicle follows another vehicle too closely (tailgating), which deprives the driver of the following car from having enough space to stop when the vehicle in front of them stops.
- Vegetation or other obstacles prevent the driver from being able to see whether a vehicle is approaching the intersection before entering it.
The types of driver behaviors that commonly lead to intersection accidents include:
- Driver inattention, such as the driver being distracted by a cell phone or children in the back seat.
- Speeding not only deprives the driver of the time they need to see and respond to hazards in the roadway but also increases the distance the vehicle will travel before it brakes and reaches a complete stop.
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Misjudging the amount of the gap in traffic that the driver has to enter a roadway.
Accident-Prone Intersections in Henderson
The Henderson Police Department notes in a recent annual report that most collisions within the city limits occur in some of the city’s most heavily traveled intersections.
The department lists the intersections below as accounting for around 11 percent of all traffic accidents in Henderson.
- South Eastern Avenue/ St. Rose Parkway – with 68 collisions in a year, this intersection is the most accident-prone in the city.
- South Eastern Avenue/ West Horizon Ridge Parkway, with 38 accidents in one year.
- North Stephanie Street/ West Sunset Road, with 30 collisions in a year.
- Coronado Center Drive/ St. Rose Parkway, with 28 accidents in a year.
- East Lake Mead Parkway/ North Boulder Highway, where 26 crashes occurred in one year.
- Marks Street/ West Sunset Road, with 26 accidents in a year.
- North Green Valley Parkway/ West Warm Springs Road, with 25 collisions in a year.
- North Stephanie Street/ Wigwam Parkway, where 24 accidents occurred yearly.
- South Eastern Avenue/ Siena Heights Drive also has 24 accidents yearly.
- West Sunset Road/ Whitney Ranch Drive also saw 24 crashes a year.
The Henderson Police Department noted that these intersections are a primary focus of enforcement efforts, with officers concentrating on the violations that cause most of these accidents.
Speeding is the most common violation drivers are cited for in Henderson, with more than 3,000 speeding tickets issued in one year in the city.
Distracted driving is also a typical citation for drivers to receive on Henderson roadways, with 264 citations issued for this offense.
One hundred ninety-four drivers were cited for accidents involving pedestrians. Administrative issues are also commonly noted, with 192 drivers being ticketed for not having proof of insurance, 165 for driver’s license violations (such as driving with a suspended license), and 118 for registration violations.
Nevada State Route 582, more commonly known as Boulder Highway, connects downtown Las Vegas with Henderson and is listed as one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. Ten percent of all pedestrian fatalities in the Las Vegas metropolitan area occur along this road.
The Types of Henderson Car Accidents That Occur in Intersections
Some of the most common types of car accidents and some of the most deadly types occur at intersections. Some of the types of accidents that occur in Henderson intersections are as follows:
REAR-END COLLISIONS
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rear-end collisions are the most common type of crash involving more than one vehicle, accounting for nearly a third of all crashes.
Contrary to popular belief, rear-end accidents aren’t always minor fender-benders—this type of accident results in hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries in the U.S. annually.
A rear-end accident occurs when the front of one vehicle collides with the rear of another car. These accidents are commonly the result of one vehicle following another too closely, not providing enough time for them to respond to a hazard by braking or to come to a complete stop before colliding with the vehicle in front of them.
While rear-end collisions are generally the fault of the driver of the rear vehicle, the driver of the lead car can cause some accidents, such as when:
- The lead vehicle traveled in reverse when the accident occurred.
- The driver of the lead vehicle stops suddenly and for no reason.
- The brake lights on the lead vehicle did not work correctly.
BROADSIDE (T-BONE) ACCIDENTS
A broadside (T-bone) accident occurs when the front of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle. Broadside collisions are typically the result of a driver failing to yield the right-of-way at a traffic light or stop sign. T-bone collisions account for nearly a third of all motor vehicle occupant deaths.
The side/door panels of vehicles offer little protection, leaving occupants on the side of the vehicle struck vulnerable to injuries due to their proximity to the impact point.
This type of accident becomes even more dangerous if there is a notable size discrepancy between the vehicles involved.
HEAD-ON COLLISIONS
Head-on collisions are often the result of wrong-way driving, and some intersection configurations can lead to drivers becoming confused and traveling in the wrong lane.
Additionally, head-on collisions can result from a previous accident in which one of the vehicles was pushed into oncoming traffic.
Head-on collisions are rare but more deadly than most other types of accidents, partially due to the increased collision force caused by the forward motion of both vehicles.
MULTI-VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
Part of what makes intersections such chaotic places for drivers is that they bring drivers traveling from all directions into one area.
While traffic laws and lights ensure that traffic moves through the intersection in an organized fashion, one driver's failure to follow the laws can cause an accident involving multiple vehicles.
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
According to the group Smart Growth America, the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise metropolitan area is ranked number 25 in the 25 most dangerous pedestrian roads, with 2.62 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. Nevada is eighth on the list of the ten most deadly states for pedestrians.
While many people think pedestrian accidents mainly involve school children getting hit while walking to school, the most common victims of pedestrian accidents are older people walking in low-income neighborhoods, where they are less likely to have the benefit of sidewalks, marked crosswalks, or streets designed for lower speeds.
What Should You Do If You’re Involved in an Accident in Henderson?
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Henderson that resulted from another driver’s careless or reckless actions, we likely don’t need to tell you how expensive and time-consuming an injury can be.
Accident victims often face significant monetary expenses for medical treatment, vehicle repair or replacement, and lost time from work.
They also face profound quality-of-life impacts, including physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
While there are many instructions about what car accident victims should do at the scene —such as calling 911 to report the accident and exchanging contact and insurance information with other drivers involved—many people are at a loss as to what they should do after they leave the scene.
One of the most critical actions is to seek medical attention for your injuries. Even if you were evaluated by emergency personnel at the scene and you don’t feel like your injuries are severe, obtaining an evaluation at an emergency room, urgent care center, or through your primary care physician as soon as possible will ensure that all your injuries are diagnosed and treatment is provided as quickly as possible for the best outcome.
If you plan to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto liability insurance policy, you will need documentation about the injury to show the connection to the accident and the type and cost of treatment.
After seeking medical attention, another essential action is to attend a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer.
This evaluation is a time for you to discuss your accident with a legal professional, obtain answers to your questions about your case, and learn more about the personal injury claims process and the important role an attorney plays in helping you seek compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury.
How an Attorney Can Help You After Your Accident
It is not unusual for an individual to be injured in an accident and have well-meaning friends suggest that they don’t need a lawyer to participate in the personal injury claims process.
However, this process is far from simple, and individuals who attempt to navigate it by themselves generally run into obstacles, such as insurance claims adjusters who try to devalue the claim through well-known tactics, including lowball settlements or misleading the claimant about the amount of money available.
In addition to having difficulty determining a value to the claim and avoiding that value being reduced by the insurance provider, claimants also frequently become overwhelmed by the amount of evidence that needs to be gathered, how to obtain it, and how to meet the formalities and expectations of the court, should they need to file a lawsuit.
A personal injury lawyer and their legal team understand all of the steps of the process and how to obtain the evidence needed as quickly as possible.
Your attorney knows how long you have to file a claim, and they can understand insurance policies to know how much compensation is available. They can value the claim properly to ensure it includes the costs and impact of your injury.
If the insurance provider fails to pay the claim or offer a fair settlement, your attorney can participate in the court process on your behalf, telling your story to a judge or jury so they can make decisions about liability and compensation.
Finally, the attorney can help you receive the money you are awarded through a negotiated settlement or a court award.
Injuries Are Expensive, But a Henderson Car Accident Attorney is Affordable
Many people are worried about hiring a lawyer to help them with a car accident claim.
However, it cannot be stated enough: an attorney is an important component of a successful claim.
Luckily, you do not have to worry about how to afford a car accident attorney, as they generally use a contingent fee billing method.
The contingent fee means you do not have to pay for your attorney’s services unless they recover compensation.
Don’t hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney in Henderson immediately if a negligent driver injured you.