State agencies ‘rev up’ for Speeding Awareness Week

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is taking a stand againstspeeding. Agencies and organizations across the state are asking motorists to watch their speed by joining their voices together in a public education campaign to emphasize how following posted speed limits is critical to driver, passenger, pedestrian and cyclist safety. Messages related to Speeding Awareness Week started to be released Monday on social media and dynamic message signs throughout the state.

As traffic volumes continue to grow, speeding has become a serious issue, NDOT said. These two factors, speeding and high volumes, have resulted in an increased number of speeding tickets. Because excessive speeding is an issue across the country, area agencies are hoping to combat the problem via an educational campaign before traffic volumes increase even more during the spring and summer months.

“Law enforcement agencies and first responders have reported that speeding has increasingly become a factor in crashes, both in minor incidents and more serious crashes,” said, NDOT Director Vicki Kramer. “Just last week, the Nebraska State Patrol reported the first 100 days of 2024 as the fastest on record with over 1,300 drivers being ticketed for driving 90 mph or more. This is an issue that can’t be ignored. Any speeding puts more lives at risk, which is why we partnered up to declare this week Speeding Awareness Week.”

Speed impacts those outside of vehicles, too. Changes in speed can have real-life consequences for pedestrians.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, if a person is hit by a vehicle going 20 mph, there is a 10 percent chance of fatality. The chance of fatality increases to 40 percent if a vehicle if going 30 mph.