2023 U DRIVE. U TEXT. U PAY. CAMPAIGN                                                                      

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/14/2023

CONTACT: Sheriff Todd Volk

Madison, Nebraska— Local law enforcement officers in Madison County issued 46 citations and had 6 arrests, with a running total of 106 contacts with the public, during the national U Drive. U Text. U Pay. high-visibility enforcement campaign that ran April 3-9. Authorities issued 1 distracted driving citation. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the dangers of Distracted Driving in Nebraska.

There were 3,924 drivers involved in distracted driving crashes in Nebraska in 2020. 233 people lost their lives in traffic crashes and 19 of those fatalities were due to a distracted driving crash. 7,386 Nebraskan’s were seriously injured in a distracted driving crash in the past five years.

According to NHTSA, nearly 32,483 people died in distraction-affected crashes over the ten-year period from 2011 to 2020. In 2020, there were 3,142 deaths linked to driver distraction, or 8% of all motor-vehicle crash fatalities. This is an increase of 23 fatalities compared to 2019.

“We are seeing far too many injuries and deaths associated with texting, messaging, and other forms of distracted driving,” said Sheriff Volk. “I can speak from experience how dangerous and devastating distracted driving can be,” said Volk “This campaign allowed us to really focus on this issue and to let drivers know that these behaviors are dangerous, illegal, and will not be tolerated. The bottom line is this: Drivers’ hands should be on the wheel, their eyes should be on the road, and their concentration on the task of driving — always.”

While the high-visibility enforcement mobilization is over for now, Madison County Sheriff Department wants motorists to remember the dangers of texting and distracted driving beyond the enforcement effort. Next time you think about checking your phone when you’re driving, remember: U Drive. U Text. U Pay.

For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving.

###