Nebraska State Patrol sees rise in speeding and distracted driving this Memorial Day
INVESTIGATE. WELL, ACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A, NEARLY 44 MILLION AMERICANS WERE EXPECTED TO TRAVEL THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, AND THE NEBRASKA STATE PATROL SAYS OUR INTERSTATE SYSTEM HAS BEEN A LARGE SEEN, A LARGE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC. BUT AS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE REPORTS, THAT RISE ALSO COMES WITH MORE DANGEROUS DRIVING BEHAVIORS. MADDIE. YEAH. ROB. JULIE. IN THE LAST 36 HOURS, TROOPERS RIGHT HERE IN THE METRO AND ACROSS THE STATE HAVE PULLED OVER MULTIPLE DRIVERS AFTER THEY HIT SPEEDS WELL OVER 100MPH. AND TROOPERS SAY WITH SPEED COMES AGGRESSIVE AND DANGEROUS DRIVING. THE HUM OF THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE METRO IN ACROSS THE STATE WE ARE TRAVELING TO A FAMILY WEDDING OUT IN COLORADO. WE’RE FROM MINNESOTA. I’M GOING BACK HOME. UM, GOT TO GET READY FOR THE WORKWEEK TO START. TYPICAL FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROADWAY. IT’S VERY, VERY BUSY OUT. SO TROOPERS ARE GOING TO BE OUT AND LOOKING TO HELP WHOEVER WE CAN WITH THE RISE IN TRAFFIC, NEBRASKA STATE TROOPERS SAY THERE’S AN INCREASE OF SPEEDING ANYTIME IT GETS WARM. YEAH, THERE’S THERE’S ALWAYS AN UPTICK IN SPEED AND OTHER DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS ON THE ROADS. DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A HUGE IT’S ON AN UPTICK RIGHT NOW. WE’RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THAT. WITH THE WARMER WEATHER, MORE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY. THERE’S A BUNCH OF TRAFFIC THAT I’M EXPECTING, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION HEADED OUT WEST. UM, THERE’S LIKE ONE LANE SOMETHING NSP SAYS DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHEN PLANNING A TRIP. JUST PACK A LITTLE EXTRA TIME THAT WAY YOU’RE NOT SPEEDING THROUGH THOSE WORK ZONES OR, YOU KNOW, UNDER PRESSURE TO TRY TO GET TO SOMEWHERE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AND ULTIMATELY ASKING DRIVERS TO REMEMBER THE BASICS, WEAR YOUR SEATBELT. IF YOU’RE DRIVING, DON’T DRIVE DISTRACTED. PUT YOUR PHONE. YOU KNOW. KEEP YOUR PHONE DOWN. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE DRIVERS. KEEPING THOSE IN MIND AND REMEMBERING A MESSAGE FROM THEIR FAMILY. MY PARENTS ALWAYS TELL ME, UM, YOU’RE A SAFE DRIVER, BUT YOU GOT TO WATCH OUT FOR OTHERS BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS A SAFE DRIVER. SO JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMEONE’S NOT CHECKING THEIR BLIND SPOTS. NEBRASKA STATE PATROL WILL HAVE EXTRA TROOPERS ON THE ROAD. ALL NIGHT AND THROUGH THE END OF TH
Nebraska State Patrol sees rise in speeding and distracted driving this Memorial Day
Nearly 44 million Americans were expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA, and Nebraska State Patrol said they’ve already seen an uptick in traffic on Nebraska interstate systems. NSP said there’s always an influx of drivers on the road on Memorial Day and throughout the entire holiday weekend, and with that rise, troopers said there’s also an increase in dangerous driving.”A lot of traffic on the roadway,” Isaiah Jaramillo, NSP trooper, said. “It’s very, very busy out. So troopers are going to be out and looking to help whoever we can. Any time it gets warm, you know, there’s always an uptick in speed.”In just the past 48 hours, troopers in the Omaha metro and across the state have pulled over multiple drivers after they hit speeds well over 100 mph. And with the warmer weather, more construction projects are underway. Something NSP said drivers need to be aware of when planning a trip.”Just pack a little extra time,” Hicken said. “That way you’re not speeding through those work zones or, you know, under pressure to try to get to somewhere in a certain amount of time.”NSP trooper Tom Hicken said they want everyone to get to their destination safely, but need the public’s help to do so.”It all comes down to the basics,” Hicken said. “You know, wear your seat belt. If you’re driving, don’t drive distracted. Put your phone, you know, keep your phone down. Don’t drink and drive. Plan ahead so you don’t have to drive after you’ve been drinking.”Drivers are keeping those basics in mind and remembering a message from their family.”My parents always tell me, um, you’re a safe driver, but you got to watch out for others because not everybody is a safe driver, so just be on the lookout because you never know when someone’s not checking their blind spots,” Lilia Jimenez, Memorial Day traveler, said.NSP will have extra troopers working all Memorial Day and throughout the rest of the week as the holiday weekend travel dies down and summer break travel ramps up.
Nearly 44 million Americans were expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA, and Nebraska State Patrol said they’ve already seen an uptick in traffic on Nebraska interstate systems.
NSP said there’s always an influx of drivers on the road on Memorial Day and throughout the entire holiday weekend, and with that rise, troopers said there’s also an increase in dangerous driving.
“A lot of traffic on the roadway,” Isaiah Jaramillo, NSP trooper, said. “It’s very, very busy out. So troopers are going to be out and looking to help whoever we can. Any time it gets warm, you know, there’s always an uptick in speed.”
In just the past 48 hours, troopers in the Omaha metro and across the state have pulled over multiple drivers after they hit speeds well over 100 mph.
And with the warmer weather, more construction projects are underway. Something NSP said drivers need to be aware of when planning a trip.
“Just pack a little extra time,” Hicken said. “That way you’re not speeding through those work zones or, you know, under pressure to try to get to somewhere in a certain amount of time.”
NSP trooper Tom Hicken said they want everyone to get to their destination safely, but need the public’s help to do so.
“It all comes down to the basics,” Hicken said. “You know, wear your seat belt. If you’re driving, don’t drive distracted. Put your phone, you know, keep your phone down. Don’t drink and drive. Plan ahead so you don’t have to drive after you’ve been drinking.”
Drivers are keeping those basics in mind and remembering a message from their family.
“My parents always tell me, um, you’re a safe driver, but you got to watch out for others because not everybody is a safe driver, so just be on the lookout because you never know when someone’s not checking their blind spots,” Lilia Jimenez, Memorial Day traveler, said.
NSP will have extra troopers working all Memorial Day and throughout the rest of the week as the holiday weekend travel dies down and summer break travel ramps up.
