Be prepared for winter driving conditions

Nebraska got its first taste of a winter storm several weeks ago. While Southwest Nebraska didn’t get much snow, the central and northeast parts of the state got hit with anywhere from three to 11 inches of snow.

The storm created winter driving conditions that slowed travel and caused interstate closures in the Kearney and York areas. 

    With the holiday season here, the Nebraska State Patrol, along with the Perkins County  Sheriff’s Office, advises drivers to be prepared for winter driving conditions. 

The Dec. 10 storm resulted in the state patrol responding to 35 crashes, performing nearly 120 motorist assists and assisting 29 other agencies. 

Conditions also caused a closure of I-80 near Elm Creek that included two crashes. While a trooper was working the first crash of two semis and a car, a truck jackknifed and struck the trooper’s car parked in the median, totalling it. 

    Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said preparation for winter driving conditions is vital. 

He advised drivers should make sure their vehicle is ready for winter conditions as well. 

Drivers can also check Nebraska’s newly-updated 511 system for road conditions before or during travel. People can access the 511 sytstem via a smartphone app or on the web at 511.nebraska.gov.

He urged drivers to use safe winter driving practices in winter conditions, even if there is only one to two inches of snowfall.

These include reducing speed, increase following distance, not crowding snow plows, and of course, always buckling up. 

The National Weather Service recommends carrying a car winter survival kit during the winter season. 

Items recommended include: mobile phone, charger and batteries; flashlight with extra batteries; first-aid kit; shovel; tool kit; tow rope; battery booster cables; windshield scraper; blankets and sleeping bags, extra winter clothing; high calorie, non-perishable food, such as canned fruit, nuts, and high energy snacks; sand or cat litter for traction and flares and other bright objects.

 Drive sober campaign

Sgt. Brian Gertsch with the Perkins County Sheriff’s said their office, along with the Nebraska State Patrol, will be participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign Dec. 17 through Jan. 1.

The campaign, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving with high-visibility enforcement. 

Gertsch said their department will show zero tolerance for drunk driving.

He said a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08 is approximately four times more likely to crash than drivers with a BAC of zero. At a .15 BAC, drivers are at least 12 times more likely to crash.

In 2019, more than 10,000 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes, which accounted for nearly one-third of crash fatalities. One person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 52 minutes in 2019.

In 2020, there were 1,534 alcohol-related crashes in Nebraska, which led to 76 fatalities and more than 600 additional injuries. So far in 2021, troopers have made more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence.

Bolduc said if a gathering involves alcohol, “get a ride-share, designate a driver, or take advantage of community safe-ride programs.”