Traffic Death Toll Up

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska roads saw a deadly rise in fatal crashes in 2019. State Safety and Transportation leaders say the failure to buckle up was a major factor. As of the end of the year, 249 people had died on Nebraska roads, up from 230 in 2018.

The year’s total is a 9% increase over the average for the years 2014 through 2018. According to Nebraska Department of Transportation data, from 2014 to 2018, 69.3% of those killed in passenger vehicle crashes were not wearing a seat belt. That’s 25% higher than the national average over the same time period.

Also Thursday in Lincoln:  Beating Suspect Identified