The Nebraska State Patrol will be busy over the holiday weekend with increased enforcement of their "Click It or Ticket" campaign.
The enforcement campaign's goals are to reduce serious injury and fatality crashes, increase visibility and raise awareness of seat belt usage. The special enforcement will run November 19-25 over the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the most heavy time periods for travel.
"Fatalities are up in
Nebraska," said Colonel David Sankey, superintendent of the Nebraska State
Patrol. "The sad thing is it doesn't need to be this way. When we look at the
numbers, we see that the lack of seat belt usage has significantly contributed
to the increase in roadways deaths. Don't become a statistic, buckle-up, every
trip, every time."
As of November 15, there have
been 183 people killed in Nebraska accidents in 2012. That compares with 159
roadway fatalities at this same time in 2011. Of the 183 people killed, 144
people where in vehicles with seatbelts, but only 51 of those people were wearing a seatbelt.
Thanks in part to a $24,600
grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, troopers and
communication specialists will work overtime hours during the "Click It or
Ticket" enforcement campaign.
The special enforcement effort
will concentrate on reducing crash causing behaviors such as failure to
buckle-up, speeding, following too closely and impaired or distracted driving.
Travelers wishing to report a
reckless or impaired driver, or anyone needing non-emergency roadside assistance
should call the NSP Highway Helpline when safe to do so, at (star) *55 from any
cellular phone or 1-800-525-5555 from any landline. Motorists wanting weather
or road construction information should dial 511 or log on the Nebraska
Advanced Traveler Information System website at www.511.nebraska.gov.
