By Nebraska Department of Transportation
LINCOLN, Neb. — 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 percent for front-seat occupants of passenger cars and up to 60 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent, ranking in the bottom five of states, and well below the national average of 91.2 percent.
“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. Below is a full list of grantees from the NDOT HSO.
November Make It Click Campaign Grantees
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
Washington County Sheriff's Office