By Nebraska Department of Transportation
LINCOLN, Neb. — Today, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), joins agencies across the country to recognize the National Day of TIM (Traffic Incident Management) Training. The effort supports a national goal, established in 2015, to train one million first responders in TIM practices.
TIM is a standardized set of best practices for first responders to utilize as they detect, respond to and clear crashes and other traffic incidents. Effective implementation of TIM practices can reduce congestion, limit secondary crashes and improve safety for motorists, crash victims and responders working in high-risk roadway environments. As part of this nationwide initiative, NDOT has set a goal of training 1,000 responders each year, helping improve on-scene coordination and enhance safety for both responders and the traveling public.
In 2025, NDOT grew its TIM program by expanding training opportunities for first responder agencies. Last year, 52 statewide trainings were held in Nebraska, certifying 52 new trainers, with 952 responders completing the course, just shy of the annual goal of 1,000 responders. So far in 2026, 509 first responders have been trained across 24 sessions, over halfway to the annual goal.
“Traffic Incident Management training is a critical part of keeping Nebraska’s roadways safe,” said NDOT Director Vicki Kramer. "When we looked at TIM, we saw an opportunity to build an organized, consistent emergency response system along I-80-- from Ogallala to Omaha. We've now deployed these proven, consistent trainings and techniques along the entire Interstate corridor and the results we've seen have encouraged us to start expanding to rural areas as well."
As part of the National Day of TIM Training, NDOT hosted a TIM Responder Training Course at the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) Headquarters in Lincoln.