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LINCOLN — Nebraska traffic fatalities climbed sharply in November, with 30 people killed in crashes on roadways across the state, according to figures released by the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
The deaths occurred in 26 separate fatal crashes during the month, more than double the 14 fatalities recorded in November 2024. Most of the deadly crashes happened outside city limits, with 19 of the 30 fatalities occurring in rural locations, defined by the Federal Highway Administration as areas with populations under 5,000.
Highways accounted for the majority of the deaths. Two fatalities occurred on interstate highways, while 19 were reported on other highways and nine on local roads.
Seat belt use continued to be a major factor. Of the 18 vehicle occupants killed in November, nine were not wearing seat belts. Eight occupants were restrained, and seat belt use was unknown in one case. For the year, only 55 of the 161 vehicle occupants killed on Nebraska roadways in 2025 were confirmed to have been wearing seat belts.
Non-motorists represented a significant portion of November’s toll. Eight pedestrians were killed during the month, along with three motorcyclists and one person riding a motorized bicycle.
Through the first 11 months of 2025, Nebraska has recorded 212 traffic fatalities in 191 fatal crashes. That total is lower than the 235 deaths reported during the same period in 2024 but slightly higher than the four-year January-through-November average of 219 fatalities from 2021 to 2024.
The report includes information available through Dec. 14 and was compiled by NDOT’s Highway Safety Section within the Traffic Engineering Division.
