This Nevada Revised Statute pertains to those drivers who are exiting or entering a controlled accessed highway. Whether we are dealing with a passenger car, transport van, large truck or a trailer that may or may not include a watercraft, the rules are all the same.
First, let’s look at the actual verbiage within the statute:
NRS 484B.263 Vehicle entering or exiting controlled-access highway: Duty to yield right-of-way. The driver of a vehicle about to enter or exit a controlled-access highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway whose proximity constitutes an immediate hazard and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to that traffic until the driver may proceed with reasonable safety.
We are unable to know if we are breaking any driving laws unless we can first identify certain things, such as a controlled access highway. Not knowing the rules will not be a good defense for you in the case you are cited with a violation of NRS484B.263 for failing to yield while entering or exiting a highway.
It is your job as the driver in the state of Nevada to comprehend and be aware of all driving rules. If you do get a ticket from Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP), Las Vegas Metropolitan Policy (LVMPD) or another law enforcement arm, it is best to seek legal assistance. That may sound like a difficult and expensive task but you can easily accomplish it by reaching out to Ticket Busters.
Our team is knowledgeable, professional, and are experts in the field. We can help you save money and time on your traffic ticket or other legal issues. You can reach us in many different ways including email, dropping into our office (no appointment necessary) or a good old-fashioned phone call.
What Is A Controlled-Access Highway
A controlled-access highway is better known as an expressway, parkway or freeway. It’s really any highway that is designed for the usual traffic that we’ve come to expect in America with those vehicles being able to travel at high speeds.
These types of thoroughfares have an unhindered flow of traffic, meaning there are no traffic lights. Other hindrances that are omitted include turnoffs for business or property access and no pedestrian crosswalks or paths.
Pedestrians traveling across one of these roads would do so via an overpass or underpass. You will also not find any railroad crossings on a control access highway.
Other Key Features of Controlled Access Highways
Controlled access highways will also have a defined median that separates the traffic going in different directions. The median could consist of a concrete structure, a grassy area or other types of traffic barriers. Some also have a decoration that is consistent with the natural landscape.
Traveling along I-15 in Las Vegas near Allegiant stadium are many decorations depicting desert bighorn sheep. That is fitting because the desert bighorn is the state animal of Nevada.
Near the exit to Mt. Charleston in northwest Las Vegas is a roundabout off-ramp that also has wildlife-themed décor which is very appropriate for that area.
Use of On- and Off-Ramps
More commonly known as on-ramps and off-ramps, slip roads are what are used for cars to enter and exit highways. The utilization of a ramp allows for consistency for drivers to get on and off the freeway without impeding traffic. Since there are no stoppages, drivers are able to keep moving without drastic speed changes.
The off-ramps and on-ramps are not only built for the continuous flow of traffic but are also there for safety.
High-speed travelers on highways are moving very quickly and are unable to make abrupt stops for cars exiting or entering which makes the ramp method much safer.
What Does Right of Way Mean
Another important item we must be knowledgeable about that is referenced in NRS484B.263 is the right-of-way. The right of way for automobiles is defined as:
The legal right of a pedestrian, vehicle, or ship to proceed with precedence over others in a particular situation or place.
Obviously, it is extremely important to know who has the right of way in a given situation and the statute in this particular case spells it out for us. The NRS allows no wiggle room to know who might be at fault if there is a car accident.
How to Properly Enter or Exit a Controlled-access Highway
The car that is either entering or exiting the highway must yield to the other vehicles traveling in the same direction who are already on the road. As our definition above described, those cars already on the road have precedence over the new ones entering/exiting.
Now, if a car is located a long distance away from the one yielding then it’s a nonfactor. As the statute suggests, the proximity of the nonyielding car must pose an immediate danger. Basically what that means is if they are driving the highway speed limit they can approach a slow-moving car entering the road very quickly which is dangerous.
It is the responsibility of the driver exiting or entering to ensure the safety of those drivers already on the highway so that they can continue their path forward with reasonable safety and without having to change their driving actions.
Anyone who has been driving for any amount of time has been in the situation before when they enter a highway. It can be stressful if is a busy time of the day with cars zipping past at high rates of speed.
As you enter onto the highway you are going much slower because just prior you were on a side street and then on the on-ramp which has a much lower speed limit than the actual highway.
If you merge onto that highway and impede an automobile that is already traveling on it then you are failing to yield on a controlled access highway. By doing so you are in violation of NRS 484B.263 and can be issued a traffic citation if your actions were witnessed by a policeman.
Additional Guidelines
Impeding (failing to yield) a driver already on the highway can come in many ways. The most common is for the driver entering the highway to cut off the current drivers making them slow down. Any change of action such as slowing down or even forcing drivers to take their foot off the gas and idle could be considered grounds for impediment.
Another common method of impeding traffic is to make the driver already on the road swerve to miss the entering car. When we describe this, we mean that the car on the road swerves to a lane on the left because the entering car is driving too slow and has not built up momentum to reach a point anywhere near the speed limit. These situations are dangerous and can easily cause accidents.
What to Do if You Are Involved in an Accident While Exiting or Entering a Controlled-access Highway
The brutal part about accidents on highways is that there is often no way to get around it for drivers that are stuck in the jam. At least when a car wreck occurs on side streets, drivers can utilize other surface roads to get to their final destination.
On a highway, drivers are stuck unless they can make it to an exit. Causing a wreck on a highway will not make you any friends as it will delay practically all drivers behind you and will cause mass amounts of unproductivity. Oftentimes, cars going in the opposite direction will also be impeded (for their own fault) as they look across the median or traffic barrier to find out what is going on or to view the damage.
The worse part about highway accidents though is that people can get injured or even killed. In any case, if a car accident is caused and you are at fault you will be issued a ticket and will need to either navigate the court system yourself or seek assistance. Note that leaving the scene of an accident is also illegal.
It is our professional opinion that you do not do this on your own.
If you contact Ticket Busters we will help you. We handle court cases and traffic tickets each and every day and can assist with whatever needs you may have. We have a large staff of legal professionals and attorneys that know the ins and outs of the Nevada court system and have a long track record of getting tickets reduced or even dropped.
It is a costly endeavor to get a ticket, go to court, and oftentimes attend traffic school. By hiring our legal team for your issues we will ensure you get the best treatment from the court system. In some cases, we can attend court on your behalf saving you time and money.
Let us do the work so you don’t have to. No one wants to miss work due to a court date. If you take a day off it should be for something fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered a violation of NRS 484B.263?
If you are entering or exiting on a controlled access highway, and impede the progress of another driver already on the highway, then you are in violation of NRS 484B.263. This means if you cut off another driver or cause them to slow down drastically by merging slowly onto the highway, then you could be issued a traffic citation.
What should I do if I am involved in an accident while entering or exiting a controlled-access highway?
If you are involved in an accident on a highway, it is important to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You may be issued a ticket and have to go through the court system, which can take time and money. Contacting Ticket Busters will help ensure that your case is handled quickly and efficiently. Our team of legal professionals can handle your case and attend court on your behalf, saving you both time and money.
