Do you have the proper car insurance?

Do you have the proper car insurance?

When I was involved in conducting accident investigation, the most common question was "do they have insurance?" 

I always told them that they would get the other driver’s insurance information on the information sheet I would give them after my investigation was complete.

A few days later, I would receive a phone call from one of the involved drivers claiming that the insurance information on the report was not valid.

As an investigating police officer, I can only get information that was given to me at the scene and appeared to be valid. We do not call the insurance company to make sure that the driver was current in his payments or that his policy had lapsed. If the documents they produce at the scene appear to be valid, that is the information that is documented on the accident report.

Inevitably, a driver would neglect to pay his insurance policy during the contract period, but his proof of insurance document would show the expiration date in a few months.

The phone call involving the other driver would consist of their request for me to follow-up on the insurance. At that point, we cannot track down the other driver to issue another citation or summons into court and I would tell the other driver to contact his own insurance company for follow-up.

A few days later, I would receive another phone call from the same driver, stating that his insurance company was not going to pay his claim because he only had liability insurance with no coverage for underinsured/uninsured drivers.

Sometimes, I would receive a tongue lashing, as if it was my fault for allowing the other driver to operate a motor vehicle, uninsured in the state of Nevada. 

I understand vehicle insurance is expensive, and the economy is in the toilet, and a lot of people are out of work, but having a vehicle is a priority to get around. Many folks are able to pay off their vehicle loan, and immediately drop their insurance coverage from full coverage to liability only.

When this change comes into play is when they become involved in a vehicle accident that may or may not be their fault. For instance, we have a high incidence of hit and run drivers, which leaves the victim driver with little or no information about the other car and driver. When the victim driver contacts his own insurance company, he may be told that he only has liability insurance and is not covered in the accident. The vehicle may be totaled and is written off with no compensation towards a new vehicle.

The few dollars per month you save reducing your coverage will not be worth it when you find out your vehicle is being totaled.

Talk to your insurance agent about your coverage. Don't just try to get the lowest amount of monthly payment. Ask your agent about roadside service, towing, rental cars, underinsured/uninsured motorists, deductibles, and your coverage amounts. Nevada has a minimum 15/30/10 law which means they cover 15,000/30,000 per accident for injuries. For example, if one person was injured, they may receive $15,000 coverage. If it was two injured in the accident, each person would receive $15,000 coverage. The third number is for property damage.

There are very few vehicles on the road, if totaled, that would be covered by the $10,000 limit, and the cost of medical care is beyond belief. An ambulance trip alone will cost you about $1000. Depending on the treatment you receive at emergency, it could cost anywhere from $500 on up. If you received a broken bone, and a minor surgery, I'm sure that would eat up the minimum coverage.

Take some time and go over all the "what if" scenarios.

A few dollars extra per month could save you several hundred per month in new car payments.

More traffic perceptions and misconceptions

Seems like traffic related articles interest the public, so here we go again.

Flashing your high beams will cause the traffic light to change from red to green:  Nope.

Some of the traffic signals at major intersections have what is called the “Opticom” system. There is a sensor mounted on near the traffic signal, high above the street.  The system is activated by emergency vehicles that are equipped with a signal light, usually positioned in the grille area or center of the light bar of the approaching emergency vehicle. 


Have you ever been at a red light that just changed to green, then immediately changed back to red before you even started forward?  Did you notice the emergency vehicle then cross in front of you, coming from your left or right with emergency lights on?  That’s the Opticom system at work.

The light that is required is a special bulb that emits a coded signal that changes the lights, not your high beams.

The traffic light system here usually has sensors buried under the asphalt, so when the vehicle approaches the intersection, it alerts the system that a vehicle is waiting.  If you don’t pass or stop on the sensor, you may not get the green light.  Look for the cut-outs in the pavement.

If you live in a cul-de-sac, you can park diagonally to the curb, not with your right wheels against the curb.  Nope.

Nevada statutes require the vehicles RIGHT wheels to be no more than 12 or 18 inches away from the curb, depending upon the jurisdiction. (County is 12”, City is 18”)

When parked perpendicularly to the curb, your vehicle is now jutting out into the cul-de-sac.  Large service vehicles, such as the garbage truck, cannot negotiate the turn with your vehicle blocking the travel path.  Sometimes they will not service your cul-de-sac if they cannot make a smooth turn.

If an emergency vehicle is behind me with its emergency lights on, I don’t have to pull over because I didn’t do anything wrong:  Nope.

ANY emergency vehicle with its emergency lights on has the right of way and you are REQUIRED to move to the right side of the roadway or shoulder, as soon as safely possible, and allow the vehicle to pass.

Not moving to the right will get you a costly moving violation citation, about $800.00 or more and 6 points on your license. 

And pulling over doesn’t mean that you find a convenient place that you like, as you  continue to drive while the emergency vehicle is behind you, trying to get you to pull over.  Some think if they are close to home, they can try and drive a little further to get into their driveway.  I’m sure the nice officer won’t mind citing you in front of your neighbors.

If there is a police vehicle or emergency vehicle on the side of the road, I need to get closer to see what’s going on:  Nope.

Nevada law requires that when there is an emergency vehicle (police, fire, ambulance, tow trucks, etc) on the side of the road, you are required to reduce your speed lower than the posted limit and move to the left, if possible.  No rubbernecking.  Check out the Youtube video; (here)

Several other jurisdictions conduct enforcement activities, watching other vehicles as they pass emergency vehicles that are conducting stops and then either warn or cite those drivers.

In the state of Ohio, over 12,000 cites have been issued to drivers since this law has taken effect, and the average cost per ticket is approximately $750.00 and a heavy point violation also, I’m sure.

Really, common sense should always be a factor in operating your motor vehicle. Getting a citation for a moving or parking violation or getting involved in an accident with a parked emergency vehicle can be easily avoided by using common sense.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DRIVING AND THE ROADWAY.

Traffic perceptions and misconceptions

I’ve received several requests for traffic related articles due to, ahem, colorfully descriptive drivers in Las Vegas.  While the list is long and distinguished, traffic laws are sometimes definitive and a lot of times vague.  Even the people who enforce the law have a difficult time deciphering the meanings.

Here’s a few of the public’s perceptions and misconceptions of some traffic related issues;

Stop.  Webster’s dictionary states: to cease activity or operation, to cease to move on.

Stop means STOP!  Red lights, stop signs all mean stop.  No “California” stops, rolling through the intersection without coming to a complete stop.  Slowing down does not constitute a stop. 

Right turn on RED.  See above.   While acceptable to turn right on a red light (unless the posted sign says “No right turn on red”), you must come to a COMPLETE stop. 

U-turns.  The only time you cannot make a U-turn is if there is a posted sign indicating no U-turn.  Pay attention to the striping in the roadway as some do not allow any types of turns across them, such as double yellow. 

The cameras mounted on the traffic signals are not red light cameras.  And they don’t record the intersection.  They are used to monitor the traffic flow so the signals can be adjusted for maximum traffic efficiency, when needed.  So if you are involved in an accident, don’t ask the investigating officer to “pull the tape” or “check the camera”.

Asking to see the radar gun if stopped for speeding.  Officers do not have to show you the radar gun, if they used one, if you are being cited for speeding.  Radar is used to verify a visual estimation of your speed.  So, the officer doesn’t even need a radar gun to cite you.  The officer also may have paced you with his vehicle.  The officer has to deal with other traffic on the roadway while dealing with you and doesn’t need to be waltzing back and forth between his vehicle and yours unnecessarily or having you walking to his vehicle.

If I was asked for my radar gun, and it was safe to do so, I would unplug it and bring it to the driver’s window.  Of course, the display was off by then.

If you rear-end someone, you’re going to be at fault 99% of the time.  When investigating vehicle collisions involving rear enders, the occasional excuse would be “he stopped for no reason” or “he braked abruptly and I couldn’t stop in time”.  There really is no excuse for rear ending someone.  You’re either following too close or not paying attention. 

Here’s a typical argument from an at fault driver who caused a rear end collision;

Driver; “I was not following him too close, officer”

Officer; “Then why did you rear end him?”

Driver; “Because he stopped too quickly”

Officer; “So, you couldn’t stop in time?”

Driver; “Exactly”

Officer; “So you didn’t have enough time to react and stop your vehicle in time, right?”

Driver; “Yes”

Officer; “So you were following too closely”

Driver; “No, I wasn’t”

Officer; “Sigh”

If you are stopped for a violation or you find out you are at fault for an accident, a meltdown at the scene is definitely not going to help your case.   Getting out and throwing a tantrum will get you the attention of others and you may become responsible for other accidents, possibly getting you another citation or worse.  The officer will give you a copy of your citation and explain by you signing, you are not admitting guilt.  Which means you can go to court to dispute the violation.  

If you refuse to sign, you are saying you want to see the judge now.  That requires a trip to jail.  Your vehicle impounded.  A mark on your record. If it is the weekend, you may stay for the weekend before seeing the judge.

Really?

And yes, LVMPD motorcycle officers ride Harley-Davidsons.  Metro has one of the largest all Harley motor divisions in the country. 

One of the most common questions we fielded, usually by someone totally adorned with “Harley” t-shirts, “Harley” boots, “Harley” baseball cap, sometime wearing “Harley” leathers was, “Is that a Harley?”

The question of the year is “So, they’re putting Harley motors in those things now?”

Oh.  During the summer months where it reaches an indicated 115 degrees and you pull up next to a motorcycle officer, who is dripping wet, at the intersection, find something else to ask him other than “Aren’t you hot on that thing?”

I’d usually respond with “Yeah, the county’s broke, so they won’t fix the air conditioner on these things”, which always got this response: “Well, that’s BS”.

Sigh.