Research has consistently shown that experience and training can reduce the likelihood of a motorcycle accident. And motorcycle licenses play a key role in ensuring motorcycle operators get the necessary training and experience.
Like every state in the country, Nevada has separate licensing requirements to operate a motorcycle legally. Getting a motorcycle license requires a separate training course and written and road tests designed for motorcyclists. If you are under 18, you must also get 50 hours of supervised experience riding a motorcycle.
Here is an overview of the motorcycle licensing requirement in Nevada and the role inexperience plays in causing motorcycle accidents.
How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Las Vegas
Battle Born Injury Lawyers has been a fixture in the Las Vegas legal community since 2010. Since the firm was founded, its lawyers have successfully pursued over $100 million in injury compensation for its clients.
The firm’s Las Vegas motorcycle accident lawyers have over 85 years of combined experience and have received many awards and recognitions, including:
- Nevada Super Lawyers from Super Lawyers Magazine
- Avvo Clients’ Choice Award from Avvo
- 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo
Some of the ways the firm’s attorneys can help include:
- Negotiating a fair settlement agreement on your behalf
- Investigating your case to determine the cause and extent of your damages
- Keep you up-to-date on your legal options throughout
- Hiring experts and collecting evidence to prove your claim
To learn about the compensation you can seek compensation for your motorcycle accident injuries, contact or call Battle Born Injury Lawyers at (702) 570-9000 for a free consultation.
How Common Are Unlicensed Motorcycle Accidents in Las Vegas?
Nevada does not provide statistics about how many motorcycle accidents involve unlicensed drivers. Nationally, 32% of motorcyclists killed in motorcycle accidents did not have a motorcycle license.
In 2020, Nevada had 58 motorcycle fatalities. If you apply the national statistics to Nevada’s fatality numbers, this means as many as 18 or 19 motorcyclists killed in Nevada might not have held a motorcycle license.
Nevada provides some information about inexperience’s role in causing motorcycle accidents. Between 2014 and 2018, 25% of motorcyclists killed in motorcycle accidents were under 25 years old. And the age group with the highest number of fatalities was between 21 and 25 years old.
Overview of Motorcycle Licensing Requirements in Nevada
If you own a motorcycle, you must learn how to control it. Motorcycles tip over if you lose your balance and have a higher power-to-weight ratio than passenger vehicles. Too much throttle or an uneven road surface can send your motorcycle into a slide.
You must also understand how traffic, road, and weather conditions affect a motorcycle. Heavy traffic and busy roads place motorcyclists in much greater danger than occupants of passenger vehicles.
In a crash, motorcycles do not protect riders and passengers. Without seat belts, motorcyclists can get ejected during a crash. And motorcycles have no passenger compartment. As a result, motorcyclists can suffer much more serious injuries when they hit the road, fixed objects, or other vehicles.
These factors combine to make motorcycle accidents much more dangerous than car crashes. Almost 80% of motorcycle accidents kill or injure motorcyclists. Only about 20% of car accidents kill or injure a vehicle occupant.
When cars and motorcycles collide, the car driver causes the accident most of the time. This happens for many reasons, including the smaller size of the motorcycle and the cognitive bias of car drivers against spotting nearby motorcycles.
But the result is that motorcyclists must be much more vigilant of surrounding traffic than car drivers.
Nevada uses an at-fault insurance system. If a car hits a motorcycle due to the driver’s negligence, the driver bears liability for the accident. At-fault drivers and their insurers must pay the damages incurred by those they injure.
Nevada offers three ways to get a motorcycle license:
Training
You can take a motorcycle safety course approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. These courses last for 15 hours. The courses spend five hours on classroom instruction and ten hours on hands-on skills instruction.
These courses are not tailored to any particular state. Instead, they focus on the knowledge and skills you need to operate a motorcycle safely.
Testing
If you do not take an approved motorcycle safety course, you must take the written test and motorcycle skills test to get a motorcycle license in Nevada. The state uses a waiver of the testing requirements to incentivize applicants to take the motorcycle safety course.
Transferring Motorcycle Licenses from Another State
Nevada honors motorcycle endorsements and motorcycle licenses issued by other states. Most other states have motorcycle licensing requirements similar to Nevada, in which applicants must complete a motorcycle safety course, undergo written and skills testing, or both.
As a result, Nevada will issue a motorcycle license to you if you exchange your out-of-state driver’s license at a DMV location.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Las Vegas Motorcycle Crash Lawyers
Even with training and experience, you can still get into a motorcycle accident. Car drivers often fail to spot motorcyclists near them and misjudge their distance and speed when they spot them.
To discuss your incident and the injuries you suffered, contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorney.
