After an increase in crashes in 2025, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Traffic Management Unit analyzed the crash data and found that distracted driving and failing to yield the right of way were the leading causes.
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.
Texting is the most dangerous because it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.
Reading or sending a text takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. At 55 mph, that is equivalent to driving the length of a football field blindfolded. Per NHTSA, 3,275 people were killed by distracted driving in 2023.
Nevada Revised Statute 484B.165 prohibits the use of a cell phone or any other handheld wireless communications device while operating a motor vehicle on a highway in this State. This includes but is not limited to texting, reading or sending data, searching the internet, or engaging in nonvoice communications.
The Traffic Management Unit will prioritize enforcing distracted driving and right-of-way violations while continuing to monitor speeding and traffic control infractions to reduce crashes in 2026.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office will continue to enforce traffic safety laws and educate the public year-round as part of their commitment to reduce accidents and save lives. Whether you’re the driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian, the Carson City Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to make safety on our roadways their top priority.
— Questions? Sgt. Olson can be reached at solson@carsoncity.gov or 775-283-7887.
