The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is among the law enforcement agencies locally and nationally this weekend reminding drivers about the dangers and consequences of texting and distracted driving.
The annual campaign is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s national "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." high visibility enforcement effort.
Investigators report in 2019, there were 4,566 drivers involved in distracted driving crashes in Nebraska.
There were also 248 fatalities from motor vehicle crashes in Nebraska in 2019.
Of those 248 fatalities, 178 took place in urban areas and 70 took place in rural areas of the state.
11 were due to distracted driving.
Police say it's important to stress to drivers the dangers of driving distracted as the number of fatalities from motor vehicle crashes in Nebraska has increased every year since 2016.