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June is National Safety Month, and the second week focuses on Roadway Safety. Of course, there’s no reason to confine safety to a single month, but here in Nebraska, particularly, it’s crucial to continue to prioritize roadway safety issues.
Preliminary data for first quarter of 2024 from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows a 34% increase in traffic fatalities from the same period in 2023 to 2024, making Nebraska one of 19 states with increasing fatalities, while the national average has decreased by 3% in the same timeframe.
Nebraska is one of three states without a primary law banning texting and driving – and a secondary law for seatbelt usage, as well – meaning that law enforcement cannot cite a driver for either without some other primary offense, such as a speeding. These laws leave Nebraska with fewer and weaker tools at hand to help reverse these trends.
Thankfully, employers can play a vital role, and given the fact that in 2022, 65% of workplace fatalities were transportation related, there’s good reason for them to focusing on ensuring their employees are safe on the roads, and do not endanger other drivers. Driver training programs, policies requiring seat belt usage, and measures discouraging distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and other bad habits can lead to safer, better driving behavior on the clock and at home.
Adding to the sense of urgency, is the period known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, which begins on Memorial Day weekend and ends on Labor Day. This period is notorious for an increase in fatal and severe crashes, particularly among younger drivers. June, being sandwiched between Memorial Day and another deadly driving holiday, the 4th of July, is a critical time to reinforce safe driving messages. This year there have been 115 traffic fatalities in Nebraska, and as of June 26th, 14 of those deaths have been in June alone.
The good news is that these trends are all reversible. Traffic crashes have preventable causes, whether it be choosing not to drive impaired, avoiding cell phones and other distractions while driving, and wearing a seatbelt every trip.
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