Travelers are hitting the road in greater numbers as the state continues to move into a new phase of COVID-19 response.
Troopers are reporting an increase in traffic throughout the state, which corresponds with figures reported by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). The latest stats show traffic volume increased last week to within 10% of the 2016-2018 average, up from 35% below previous years’ average in the week of April 12.
“People are traveling more as things open up,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “There are things we can all do to make sure we have a safe summer here in Nebraska: watch your speed, avoid distractions, never drive impaired, use caution in construction zones, follow traffic safely laws, and always buckle up.”
As traffic volume has increased, the rate of excessive speeding on Nebraska roads decreased. In the past month, troopers have cited 83 speeders for driving at 100 miles per hour or more. During May, troopers cited 129 speeders.
Even with the decrease, June 2020 has still had more citations for driving 100 miles per hour or more than any month in 2019.