Nebraska has many rural roads, but also busy city streets and major highways.
In Nebraska, traffic laws are established by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, and they are enforced by state and local police agencies. Drivers must obey a number of laws that govern behavior on the state's roads, which include remote rural roads, city streets and interstate highways.
Speed Limits
The state speed limit in Nebraska is 75 miles per hour. This is the maximum speed at which drivers may travel on unmarked highways anywhere in the state. Nebraska's speed limit is an absolute speed limit, meaning that drivers may not exceed the 75 mph barrier even when considerations make it safe to do so.
Besides the state speed limit, Nebraska enforces a series of lower speed limits for certain special situations. For example, the speed limit on highways within major cities is 60 mph. Residential urban areas and school zones require drivers to slow to 25 mph.
Alcohol Policy
The legal limit for a driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) in Nebraska is .08 percent. The penalties for a first-time offense may include between seven and 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. DUI convictions also may include a suspended license for six months, or one year in cases where the driver has a BAC over .15 percent.
Additional DUI convictions can carry greater penalties, including up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $10,000 and a 15-year suspension of license. Judges may also order drivers to attend an alcohol treatment program.
Tickets
Traffic citations in Nebraska carry a range of penalties that reflect the severity of each type of offense. For example, speeding tickets start at just $10 for driving one to five miler per hour over the legal speed limit, but more egregious speeding can carry a fine of up to $300. The maximum fine for driving without insurance is $500, as the state requires all drivers to have their vehicles insured in order to operate them on public roads.
Licensing
Drivers in Nebraska earn their driving privileges through a series of license stages. New drivers receive a Learner's Permit (Class LPE) at age 14, which allows them to practice driving only as part of a drivers education program. At age 14 and 2 months, drivers may apply for an SCP school permit, which only allows the driver to operate a vehicle to and from school. LPD and POP permits are for young drivers and carry night driving restrictions, while a Class O license gives a Nebraska driver full privileges for operating a motor vehicle. Motorcycle drivers must receive a Class M license. Additional special licenses are required for commercial vehicle operators and school bus drivers.
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