AASHTO Journal - Nebraska DOT Hosts Statewide Highway Safety Conference

The Nebraska Department of Transportation hosted its annual Highway Safety Conference in late February; an event that brought together law enforcement, safety training employees, local health departments, healthcare workers, educators, and policymakers to strengthen partnerships to help Nebraska reach zero traffic fatalities.

[Above photo by Nebraska DOT]

At the meeting, a panel also addressed current legislative efforts to improve the safety for road users statewide, including Nebraska DOT’s safety bill, LB600, which would enhance the state’s existing Move Over Law, add speed safety cameras specifically in work and school zones and implement adaptive speed limits – which involves using technology to adjust speed limits based on real-time conditions.

Other legislative initiatives discussed at the conference include LB594, a proposed hands-free bill that would restrict holding devices while operating a motor vehicle, and discussion on a 2024 bill allowing motorcyclists to not wear helmets – which has resulted in an increase of motorcycle fatalities.

Additional discussions covered grant writing, traffic safety as a public health concern and safety initiatives like impaired driving prevention, child passenger safety and eliminating distracted driving.

The event also featured sessions on public participation and youth engagement in traffic safety, with a session featuring students from David City High School’s chapter of Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America and Grand Island Senior High sharing firsthand insights into teen driving habits and what it would take to get their peers to buckle up and put mobile devices down.

“Despite knowing the dangers, many teens still find themselves looking at their phones while driving,” noted Bill Kovarik, highway safety administrator of Nebraska DOT’s Highway Safety Office, in a statement.

“They often feel a sense of obligation to respond to calls or texts from their parents, even in critical moments. Conversations with teen drivers are crucial, especially as we work to deliver safety messages to them,” he added. “We need to understand where and how they access this information.”

In 2023, according to Nebraska DOT data, an alarming 81 percent of teen traffic fatalities in Nebraska involved individuals not wearing seat belts, even though drivers and passengers are 45 percent more likely to survive a crash if they are wearing their seat belts.

Concurrently, as a state, Nebraska ranks 49th out of 50 in seatbelt usage, the agency said – underscoring the necessity for ongoing engagement and education to promote safer driving habits among peers.

Nebraska DOT also noted at its safety conference that, in 2024, an estimated 251 people lost their lives on Nebraska’s roads; the highest rate in 17 years and a stark reminder of the urgent need to improve state highway safety efforts.