Lack of seat belt usage cited in rise in fatal wrecks

Nebraska roads saw a deadly rise in fatal crashes in 2019. State leaders say the failure to buckle up was a major factor.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported that as of Dec. 27, 249 people had died on Nebraska roads. That's a 9% increase over the average for the years 2014 through 2018.

According to Nebraska Department of Transportation data, from 2014 to 2018, 69.3% of those killed in passenger vehicle crashes were not wearing a seat belt. That's 25% higher than the national average over the same time period.