‘It’s not worth it’: Nebraska official urges people to use crosswalks after O Street crashes

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincoln Police are investigating after another pedestrian was hit on West O Street over the weekend.

It was the second pedestrian crash to happen on West O in two days.

On Saturday morning, a27-year-old man crossing at Southwest 14th Street.

He was not at a crosswalk, and police think he was under the influence of alcohol.

His injuries were considered critical, and he was still in the hospital on Monday.

The other pedestrian crash happened on Thursday around 8:45 p.m., when a 34-year-old was hit at Sun Valley Boulevard.

Police said the man was crouched down in the road, outside the crosswalk, holding a dog.

They don’t think alcohol or drugs were involved in that case.

Bill Kovarik, Nebraska’s highway safety administrator, said so far this year, six pedestrians have been killed.

He said Nebraska’s pedestrian fatalities are about half of what they were last year, but nationwide, the numbers are up.

Kovarik said in Lincoln, West O is a particularly dangerous spot because the speed limit is higher and there are two lanes in each direction.

“If you’re going to try to walk across that or run across it, a car can come from anywhere,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t see a car that’s just a little ways off, and it can get you in trouble real fast.”

Kovarik said while you may have to walk some distance to find a crosswalk, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“You may think it’s going to save you a minute or a few seconds, but it’s not worth it,” he said. “Definitely not worth it.”