Nebraska DOT releases August traffic fatality toll, lowest in five years

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) released a traffic fatality toll on Wednesday, reporting down numbers from past years.

NDOT reports nine fatalities from traffic crashes on Nebraska roadways in the month of August. The nine deaths occurred in nine different crashes.

One fatality was a pedestrian, two were motorcyclists, five vehicle occupants killed were not using seatbelts while one vehicle occupant was using a seatbelt. Five of the nine fatalities occurred in rural locations.

According to NDOT data, there were 108 fatal crashes totalling 131 fatalities from Jan. 2021 to Aug. 2021. The 131 fatalities are 27 less than last year’s data. There were 158 total fatalities during the eight-month period in 2020.

More importantly, the 2021 eight-month period recorded the lowest number of fatalities in the past five years. Since 2017, the average is 153 fatalities from Jan. to Aug. in Nebraska, significantly higher than this year’s report.

For more information, visit the Nebraska Department of Transportation.