The 4 Big Mistakes Las Vegas Drivers Do On The Roads

Author Wendy Rush

August 6th 2:28 PM

Bad drivers are everywhere. And headlines in Las Vegas newspapers lately is making it very clear that Southern Nevada residents need to take a hard look at their driving habits.

For those who live in Southern Nevada, it’s no secret that Las Vegas drivers are getting more and more aggressive on the roads. Between not letting people merge into their lane, fights breaking out for minor reasons, and everything in between, the road rage with Las Vegas drivers is real. And a handful of things that have become common on Las Vegas roads these days are not only rude, they’re downright dangerous.

The Biggest Mistakes Las Vegas Drivers Do On The Roads

#1 – Running Red Lights

Yep. We’re just going to jump right to the biggest one. And the dumbest. This is becoming so commonplace in Las Vegas that you can jump on Reddit threads like this one, or this one, and see locals talking about it at any time. Blatant disregard of red lights in Vegas is not only stupid, it’s the cause of too many sad headlines in Las Vegas newspapers lately.

News3LV reported in March two teenage girls getting killed in a car accident after they ran a red light. They reported another story in January about a pedestrian getting killed when a driver ran a red light. And there are countless other stories. But in spite of these tragedies, drivers are still carelessly disregarding red lights. In May, 8NewsNow reported 14,000 red light violations in a single month at a single Las Vegas intersection.

#2 – Tailgating On The Freeway

This one happens all the time with Las Vegas drivers. Getting within feet of someone’s bumper while driving 70 plus miles per hour says two things about the one behind the wheel: they’re rude and stupid. Rude because they’re putting the person in front of them in danger, not to mention themselves. Stupid because the tailgating driver is the one responsible for the cost of a rear-ending if the car in front should have to break suddenly. In fact, Las Vegas accident attorney Adam S. Kutner says it can be “grounds for fault in a civil car accident claim”.

#3 – Driving Too Slowly In The “Fast Lane”

While the tailgating driver on the freeway is stupid and rude, the one getting tailgated is not always completely blame-free. Specifically when the car in front is in the “fast lane” and not passing another car that’s on the right. We might have to blame the Eagles for this one. It’s not called the “fast lane”. The lane all the way to the left on the freeway is a “passing lane”. Meaning, if you’re not using it to pass someone, get the hell out of the lane.

This happens a lot with Las Vegas drivers, especially on the freeway. And everywhere, actually. Maybe we need freeway marquees to start reminding people of the rules of the “passing lane”. Progressive says that behaviors of drivers in the left lane are the ones that most often irritate other drivers. So while it’s not cool to tailgate aggressively, it’s also not cool to block the left lane when you’re not using it properly. In fact, it leads to aggressive drivers swerving between cars in the other lanes, causing a lot more accidentes. So let’s all do our part to avoid these situations. Savvy?

#4 – Changing Lanes In An Intersection

Okay, this is just common sense. Intersections are where so many things are happening. With cars and pedestrians and lots of moving parts. This is NOT the time to change lanes. And it happens in Vegas all. the. time. In fact, we reported earlier this year that intersections are one of the most dangerous places to be driving in Las Vegas. So making that even worse by making a lane change you could wait two seconds to do just doesn’t make sense.

Sometimes Las Vegas drivers really make you wonder how intelligent our residents are. Sadly, though, even the brightest of us are sometimes making dumb decisions on the roads. We need to do better. Because for the few seconds of time it might save you to drive foolishly, it’s just not worth the risk.

Full stop.

Want more from this author? Check out her home page.

Wendy Rush is the midday host on one of Vegas's top stations, 96.3 KKLZ. She has been with the station for ten years and comes with a diverse career background. In addition to being a radio host, Wendy has lived the Vegas life as an entertainer. She has been a celebrity impersonator, rock band singer, and improv comedian. As a content creator for 96.3 KKLZ, Wendy writes about music, celebrities, mental health and wellness, and life as a Las Vegas local.

Naming Your Car Means You Love It: 10 Popular And Fun Car Names

The “Electric Blue Bomb.” That was what I named my first car.

Naming Your Car Is Very Personal And Also Very Fun

The Electric Blue Bomb. It was a used 1972 electric blue Mustang 2 Hatchback, with manual transmission. No AC, but it did have an 8-track player. I had to keep a matchbook in it for it to work, of course, but it was great. Very high tech!

I taught dozens of people how to drive a “stick” in my Electric Blue Bomb. To this day those old high school pals remind of this whenever we get together. It’s a fun memory that I will truly cherish forever. And yes – I can still drive a manual transmission, and still teach anyone.

I would also pile people in the hatchback to go to lunch, the drive-in – a party at Julie’s house – wherever we needed to be.

What To Consider When Picking Out A Name For Your Car

Does your car not have a name? Why? It’s apparently a sign of love. A poll literally found that people who love their car are more likely to name it

49% of people who have a car they love have given it a name. That’s compared to 20% of people who just kind of “like” their car, and 14% who really don’t like their car.

The poll found the #1 thing we consider when naming our car is its “personality.” Make and model is next, followed by how it performs.

1. Personality: What is the feel of your car, and the essence of that ride.

2. Make and model: Someone named their Kia Forte “Will”- after Will Forte.

3. How it performs. Is it fast? Perhaps Zippy,” or “Bolt,” or “Jet.”

Need some ideas on what to name your car? Men and women have different favorites, but there’s definitely a name for every car- just like kids.

Here are some of the most popular, and fun car names for 2024. Although, all of them could probably also work for baby names.

1. Shadow
If you have a black, or charcoal car, this seems to be a popular name.
2. Snowball
Yes, the complete opposite of “Shadow.” I have a white car. I love “Snowball,” but I went with “Betty White.”
3. Ruby
Do you have a red car? “Ruby” is a perfect name. I had a friend back in college who named her red car “rhubarb.” Cute and catchy for a little red VW bug.
4. Betsy
Still driving that old, reliable station wagon from back in the day? Or maybe that Land Cruiser is still getting you around town. “Betsy” is a great name for that old, reliable vehicle. Rusty and Trusty also work.
5. Gizmo
Is your car filled with high tech? Self-driving? Self-parking? Then “Gizmo” might be the name for your car. Although I think I would go with “Jetson” or “Rosie.” Cartoon kids get it.
6. Tank
“TANK!” The name pretty much says it all. Durable, indestructible, and can withstand a whole lot.
7. Sir Honksalot
Just a fun name. And if your car is a fun car, you have to go with a fun name.
8. Speedy McSpeedface
This one might be taken wrong. however, it’s another fun name for a fun car.
9. Gassy Gus
Do you have a gas guzzler – or an SUV? Then this might be the car name for you! If so, I’m sorry…
10, Aurora
The Roman goddess of dawn. A beautiful name for a car that’s a joy to get into, and drive, each and everyday! Or – just “Joy.”