Editorial: Improving traffic laws

Friday, Jan. 9, 2004 | 9:01 a.m.

The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety has given Nevada high marks for its traffic safety laws. The national coalition, which includes consumer groups, insurance companies, traffic safety organizations and law enforcement agencies, looked at 16 laws that it says are essential for safety. The laws included cover impaired driving, teen driving, child passenger safety and adult occupant protection. Nevada had 13 of the 16 recommended laws, tying for second best along with four other states.

While our state is faring well, it hasn't always been easy. For example, it wasn't until 2003 that the Nevada Legislature lowered the legal blood alcohol content for drivers from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent. That strengthening of the law was passed principally because Nevada would lose some federal highway funding if it didn't. Part of the opposition in the past came from casinos and bars, which saw it as hurting their business, and some opposition came from people who simply didn't want government restricting their drinking. Fortunately that thinking doesn't hold the same sway anymore.

One area that needs improvement, and which was cited by the coalition's report, is teen driving. Currently in Nevada a 16-year-old is allowed to have other teens in a car after having a driver's license for only 60 days. That period is too short, as recent deadly accidents involving teen drivers in the Las Vegas Valley attest. We just hope that the Legislature, which last year rejected more restrictive licenses for 16-year-olds, moves faster in this area than it did in dealing with drunken driving.