LOCAL PROBLEMS & RESOURCES
Local Problems
Nebraska only has a secondary law for texting while driving, not a primary law.
A primary law means police can stop/cite a driver solely for texting while driving.
A secondary law means drivers CANNOT be stopped only for texting while driving: they must be stopped/cited for a primary offense first.
Only four states, including Nebraska, only have secondary distracted driving laws. The others are Florida, Ohio, and South Dakota.
Texting & Driving
Omaha drivers need to learn how to merge.
Instead of taking turns merging when two lanes are restricted to one, Omaha drivers create a long queue in one lane and act aggressively toward drivers who try to merge properly.
Proper Merging
Drivers running red lights is a notorious problem around Omaha.
Education, encouragement, data collection, and enforcement could all help alleviate this problem.
SOS plans to focus its efforts on reducing red light violators.
Red Light Running
Disobeying Traffic Laws
Drivers stopped in cross-walks
Drivers not obeying the posted speed limit. This contributes to “speed variance,” which is the difference in operating speeds among all vehicles on a roadway. The greater the speed variance, the greater the risk of crashes.
Drivers not stopping at stop signs.
Drivers staying in the left lane even while driving less than the normal speed of traffic
All these behaviors are illegal.
Local Resources
Omaha’s Vision Zero Action Plan was approved in late 2023. Check out Omaha’s Vision Zero website for tons of safe driving information and updates!
Check out the City of Omaha Public Works site for construction updates throughout the city
The Mayor’s Active Living Advisory Committee (ALAC) Purpose is to “provide community input and recommendations to the City to create safe, accessible transportation and recreation options.”
City of Omaha Fatal Crash Dashboard
City of Omaha’s Traffic Safety page
Vision Zero Omaha - Local website in the works
Go to the Vision Zero Network for everything you need to know about VZ
A city of Omaha website specific to encouraging citizens of Omaha to use the “zipper merge” method when merging in construction zones.
Omaha’s Transit Authority - Their mission is to connect people, places, and opportunities through quality transit services.
Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Transportation services & resources
“MAPA exists to provide local governments with planning and technical support, thinking regionally and long range on the core issues that impact the vibrancy of the Greater Omaha-Council Bluffs area.”
Providing raw news in real time. Covering Omaha/Douglas County. Division of NOSS Media, LLC.
“The mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® is to make streets safer for all who walk, cycle, play, drive, and ride. Our goal is to put an end to deaths and injuries caused by all manner of unsafe driving behaviors. We do so by educating and actively engaging citizens in a common commitment to create safer streets for the benefit of all, beginning right in our own neighborhood.”
Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) crash data. Currently only updated through 2020.
Mission: To be Nebraska’s leading organization providing education and advocacy to reduce injuries and save lives.
National Safety Council, Nebraska (NSCN) was founded in 1924 as the “Omaha Safety Council” by a group of businessmen who concluded that 75% of workplace accidents could be prevented. Over time, we have changed our name and expanded to serve the entire state of Nebraska.
“Motor vehicle crashes are a chief cause of death in the United States. More than 30,000 people die each year. The number of traffic-related deaths in Nebraska has gone down since the 1970s. However, since 2011 these deaths have increased.”
Local health departments are invested in the public health of the community, and this includes transportation and activity.
Health Departments are known to provide comment on street and road changes as well as share this information with the public - see this link for an example of this for the local 24th Street Road Diet.
OPD regularly works with Nebraska Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on various state/national grant funded initiatives for DUI, speeding, distracted driving, etc. OPD has a squad in their Traffic Unit called Project Night Life that specifically works with educating teens on risky driving behaviors by providing presentations to thousands of metro area high school students and other teen groups.
As a part of Project Night Life, there are NDOT grant funded enforcement operations specifically focused on lessening teen related crashes in Omaha. OPD also encourages citizens to both report reckless driving as well as request audits of problem streets and intersections.
Check out their website for fun volunteer opportunities and helpful resource pages
Their mission is “to advocate for transportation equity that enhances quality of life and opportunities for everyone to live, work, and play.
We achieve our mission through information and engagement with members and the public, influencing policies and decision-making related to transportation and land use design, and monitoring transportation policies and plans and their implementation.”
ModeShift - local multimodal transportation advocacy organization
“Bike Walk Nebraska cultivates and supports safe and accessible active transportation across our state by leading sound policy and advocating for best practices. We work across sectors in partnership with elected officials, municipalities, and organizations to ensure that biking and walking - whether for transportation or recreation - works for all Nebraskans.”
“Our Driving Concern provides free resources on distracted driving, aggressive driving / speeding, passenger restraint, impaired driving and other transportation and driver safety topics. We work with schools, organizations & key company employees, which might include risk managers, safety leaders and HR professionals, to build a company-wide driver and traffic safety program.”
Collaborative Services for People Experiencing Homelessness in the Omaha Metro Area
For Street Outreach services call 402-957-1747
For rental assistance or other resources call 2-1-1
The City of Omaha has a dedicated Homeless Services Coordinator, their information is below:
Tamara Dwyer - PLMHP, PCMSW, LMSW
Homeless Services Coordinator, City of Omaha Mayor's Office, 1819 Farnam Street Suite 300, Omaha, NE 68138 - (402) 444-5038 - tamara.dwyer@cityofomaha.org