KEARNEY, Neb. - State traffic safety officials convened in Kearney this week to share knowledge among themselves and the public in an effort to reduce distracted driving, speeding and other dangerous behaviors.

Traffic crashes cause more than 230 fatalities and around 15,000 injuries in Nebraska per year. Officials see seat belt usage as a priority for drivers as Nebraska’s seat belt usage rate was just 77.3%, well below the national average of 91.9%.

Nebraska's Highway Safety Administrator Bill Kvorak says drivers and passengers in every vehicle need to take the initiative to buckle up every single time. 

"Last year over 70% of fatalities in Nebraska were not buckled up, and so we know that a good portion of them would still be with us today had they been wearing a seat belt." 

According to data from NDOT’s Highway Safety Office, seat belts improve survival rates by 45%.

Nebraska law currently enforces a secondary seat belt law, which means officers can only ticket someone for not wearing a seat belt if they’re pulled over for another violation, but Kvorak emphasized the need for personal responsibility, saying "We can't rely on enforcement alone. Wear your seat belt, put the phone down and don't drive impaired."

This year's conference was held at the Younes Conference Center South and feature additional discussions on topics such as grant writing, social media promotion, law enforcement training, child safety seat training, and more.