Nebraskans say they are adjusting to new speed limits

Posted By: Bayley Bischof 

bbischof@klkntv.com 

It’s been a few weeks since a new law increasing speed limits on highways took affect.

Channel 8 took to the roads Friday to find out what Nebraska drivers are saying about the change.

One driver we spoke to is traveling salesman Bob Elsasser, he said he drives Nebraska roads a lot.

“I put 30,000 to 50,000 miles on my car every year,” Elsasser said.

So for him, the speed limit increase is making those miles go faster.

"I like the law change because it makes it easier,” Elsasser said. in Nebraska the communities are so far apart."

The law change increases the speed limit on two lane state highways to 65, and four lane state highways to 70.

"People were pretty much going over the speed limit anyway, now it’s 70 and it makes everything a little bit easier,” Logunn Baker from DeWitt said.

"It’s fine! From what I’ve seen when you have a divided four lane highway, it’s a lot like the interstate,” Gene Coppersmith of Roca said. “When the interstate is 75 and everything is fine so this should be fine."

One reason they made the change was to make speed limits across the state more consistent.

One driver said this change didn’t do that everywhere in Nebraska.

"The increase is okay, but we think it should have stayed 70 after Cortland instead of going back down to 65 again,” Sandy Mullins, of Beatrice said.

Safety was also a concern.

"You increase speed, you cut reaction time, and people need to be more alert, especially with cross traffic,” Coppersmith said. “If you have a wreck it’ll be more severe at 70 that it would be at 65."

While the Department of Transportation says it’s too early to tell if the increase has impacted accidents.

State Senator John Murante, who proposed the bill, said it may actually do the opposite.

"When South Dakota raised their speed limits by five miles per hour they actually saw 14% reduction in traffic fatalities,” Murante said. “I think Nebraskans could expect the same."

Elsasser, the traveling salesman agrees.

"I haven’t seen difference in safety and the way people drive, it’s just not been an issue,” Elsasser said.

The Department of Transportation is still working on changing the signs, so if you’re driving on a road that is affected but hasn’t been changed yet you still need to abide by the posted speed limit.