The Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office (NDOT HSO) announced 25 local law enforcement agencies received grant funding for the Make It Click seat belt enforcement campaign from Nov. 26-30, 2025. The campaign focuses on increasing seat belt usage through high-visibility enforcement.
“This grant funding allows local law enforcement to focus on one of the most effective ways to save lives and reduce serious injuries, by enforcing seat belt violations,” said Ryley Egger, NDOT HSO Administrator. “Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by approximately 45% for front-seat occupants of passenger cars and up to 60% in light trucks. Wearing your seat belt is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for those who matter the most to you this holiday season.” The campaign falls during one of the busiest travel times of the year, and an alarming increase in fatalities on Nebraska roadways. As of Nov. 21, NDOT HSO data shows 22 fatalities already for the month, an increase of 267% compared to the same period last year.
In 2024, the state reported 252 traffic fatalities, the most in nearly two decades. The NDOT HSO data from 2024 showed that 67.6% of vehicle fatalities in the state involved individuals who were not wearing seat belts. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported Nebraska’s seat belt usage rate a year ago was 80.2%, ranking in the bottom five of states, and well below the national average of 91.2%. “The data shows a clear connection between surviving a crash and wearing a seat belt”, added NDOT Director Vicki Kramer. “The NDOT is grateful for the law enforcement agencies making their presence known in their communities and making people think twice before not buckling up. It is time for Nebraskans to make the seat belts click.”
The Make It Click campaign is one of the NHTSA national high-visibility enforcement campaigns, focusing specifically on the consequences of not wearing a seat belt while urging travelers to always buckle up.
November Make It Click Campaign Grantees include Ashland Police Department, Beatrice Police Department, Broken Bow Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Colfax County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Police Department, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Fremont Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office,
Hastings Police Department, La Vista Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Omaha Police Department, O’Neill Police Department, Otoe County Sheriff’s Office, Papillion Police Department,
Platte County Sheriff’s Office, Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, Saunders County Sheriff’s Office, Valley County Sheriff’s Office and
Washington County Sheriff’s Office.