Senator John Harms, a longtime traffic safety advocate representing District 48, today introduced the Nebraska Roadway Safety Act, a legislative bill to modernize and improve five key traffic safety measures.  Senator Harms also designated the Act his priority bill for 2014.

“No other legislation we will consider this year has the ability to make such a positive difference in the lives of the individuals and families we serve,” stated Senator Harms, during a press conference held today in Lincoln.  “The Nebraska Roadway Safety Act will save lives and prevent needless injuries, impacting not only this generation, but many generations to come.”

Passage of the Nebraska Roadway Safety Act would maximize the benefits of our state’s safety belt law for adults and children, the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law for novice drivers and the texting while driving ban that impacts all motorists, by moving these laws from secondary enforcement to standard or primary enforcement.

“Tragically, some of our state’s most important traffic safety measures were adopted as secondary enforcement laws,” stated Beverly Reicks, CEO/President of the National Safety Council, Nebraska.  “If we are serious about reducing vehicle crashes, deaths and injuries, we must adopt meaningful legislation.”