News & Events
Monthly Toll on Nebraska Roads
The Nebraska Department of Roads tracks crashes and fatalities report, and whether those involved were using occupant restraints.
Governor Heineman proclaims October 2008 as Safe Homecoming month for all Nebraska high schools.
Nebraska high schools are combatting the problem of teens killed in traffic crashes by verifying that students are wearing safety belts. Schools scheduling 2 checks at least 30 days apart during this Homecoming season are eligible for a drawing for $1000 cash prize.
Teens Credit Rollover Demonstration With Saving Their Lives
FREMONT, Neb. -- Two Fremont teenagers survived a rollover accident without getting seriously hurt, and they're giving some of the credit to the Nebraska State Patrol.
Kyle Dykstra and Drew Marshall saw a rollover demonstration at Fremont High School during halftime of a football game, presented by the patrol. After watching, they said, they were more motivated to buckle up.
Three weeks later, the pair were in a rollover near Highway 275 on a dirt road just outside of Fremont.
"I overcorrected and the back wheels went into the ditch and it just rolled over," Marshall said.
Rollover accidents involving teens are up this year in Nebraska. So far, there have been 23 compared to 13 this time last year. Overall, rollovers are also up, from 63 last year at this time to 84 this year. That's one reason why the Nebraska State Patrol wants teens to see their rollover demonstration.
"Most kids are visual learners," said Fremont High School Assistant Athletic Director Heidi Moran. "If they see it, they're going to believe it, more than reading it."
"I think I would have been thrown out of the car if I didn't have my seat belt on," Marshall said.
"When you have a mom that cares enough about you to make sure you wear it, even when she's not there, then she knows that you did, and you're here today because you did," Dykstra said. "It's a good feeling."
The teenagers said a lot of their peers don't buckle up because it's not cool. But both said they remind everyone now to buckle up.
