How Safe Driving Affects Everyone – And What Nebraska Is Doing About It
Last Updated on December 10, 2025
Lawmakers in Nebraska continue working to strengthen traffic safety laws in response to rising crash numbers and increasing roadway risks. Several proposed bills aim to reduce serious injuries and fatalities by tightening seat belt rules, expanding enforcement authority, and updating penalties for distracted driving. While some drivers may be resistant to stricter regulations, the goal is simple: safer roads and fewer preventable tragedies — which also means more stable insurance rates for everyone.
Two of the bills focus specifically on improving seat belt use statewide. Senator John Harms of Scottsbluff has introduced legislation that would allow police officers to stop a vehicle solely because the driver isn’t wearing a seatbelt. Under current Nebraska law, failure to wear a seatbelt is only a secondary offense — meaning drivers must be pulled over for another violation first, such as speeding or running a red light. Harms’ proposal would make seat belt enforcement a primary violation, aligning Nebraska with most of the country.
As of today, 34 states and the District of Columbia have primary seat belt laws. Only a small handful still classify seat belt use as a secondary offense, and New Hampshire remains the only state that does not require adults to wear a seat belt at all.
Key Takeaways
- Nebraska lawmakers are proposing stronger seat belt and texting-while-driving laws to reduce crash injuries and fatalities.
- Changing seat belt violations from secondary to primary enforcement could significantly improve compliance statewide.
- Distracted driving penalties — including texting fines and license points — may increase if proposed legislation passes.
- Safer driving lowers crash risks and helps prevent rising insurance premiums for all Nebraska motorists.
Changing Nebraska’s Seat Belt Laws
If Nebraska approves the primary enforcement bill, fines would increase from $25 to $100 and drivers would receive a point on their license. Points matter: accumulate too many in any state and you risk losing your license, and your insurance premiums may also rise. Avoiding driver’s license points comes down to one thing — following the law and practicing safe driving.
The bill would also apply to passengers. Because unbelted passengers are often seriously injured or ejected in crashes, Nebraska lawmakers believe raising penalties will encourage everyone in the vehicle to buckle up.
“It’s all about safety,” Harms says. “If you get seriously injured and your insurance runs out, then the state may end up taking over the cost. That’s one of my big concerns as well.”
When the state absorbs too many high-cost injuries, premiums rise for everyone. By improving seat belt compliance, Nebraska hopes to keep both residents and insurance rates stable.
A second bill — sponsored by Senator Bob Krist of Omaha — goes even further. It would require all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear seat belts at all times. Nebraska is one of the shrinking number of states that does not currently require rear-seat occupants to buckle up.
“It doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Krist explained. “In a crash, whatever is unbuckled in the back seat is going to come forward into the front seat. It just seemed logical to me that everyone in the vehicle should be belted.” His proposal also changes seat belt enforcement from a secondary to a primary offense.
Texting and Driving
Senator Harms is also pushing to strengthen Nebraska’s current law on texting and driving. When the law was first implemented in 2010, some lawmakers argued that making texting a primary offense could lead to profiling or overuse of traffic stops. As a compromise, texting while driving became a secondary offense.
Under the existing penalty structure, a first offense costs $200, a second offense $300, and additional violations cost $500, plus three points added to your driver’s license. These fines — and their insurance consequences — can be substantial.
Nationally, more states have moved toward primary enforcement in response to the proven dangers of distracted driving. Currently, the vast majority of states enforce some form of texting ban, and Nebraska lawmakers aim to join this trend by making enforcement more effective.
Spurring Change
Nebraska experienced an increase in traffic fatalities during the early 2010s, and despite some recent improvements, distracted driving, speeding, and low seat belt use remain ongoing concerns. Many state officials — including the Nebraska Highway Safety Office — have emphasized that a disproportionate number of fatal crashes involve unbelted occupants or drivers who were ejected during rollovers.
This reality has motivated many Nebraska residents to support new legislation. Craig Bougher, a resident of Papillion, shared that a crash involving his daughter changed his views. His daughter’s SUV was struck by a pickup truck, sending her into a utility pole. While she survived, the other driver — who was unbelted — was ejected and died at the scene.
“I’m not out for another law, but at the same time, this guy died, and he didn’t need to,” Bougher said.
As Nebraska continues to evaluate these proposed safety measures, it’s also a reminder for all drivers to take stock of their own habits. Stay attentive, buckle up, and keep your focus on the road. Safe driving protects your life, your passengers, and your wallet — reducing the likelihood of costly accidents, citations, and insurance claims.
