Does Omaha Have Worse Drivers Than Lincoln?

by Olivia White

LINCOLN — While they might not be at the top of the list of worst drivers in the country, that honor goes to the residents of Memphis, Tennessee. Lincolnites visiting Omaha might notice a difference in driving habits in Nebraska’s biggest city.

Whether it’s traffic flowing through Dodge Street going 60+ in a 45 versus getting pulled over for a minor infraction on O Street, Omaha and Lincoln have different ways of handling traffic, and those differences show up in big ways statistically.

Omaha Police Department’s (OPD) Sergeant Devin Washington said the leading causes of crashes in the city are speeding, impaired driving, and failure to yield to other motor vehicles. In the 2024 data report – the latest available – the city experienced 59 fatal crashes and 177 crashes leading to serious injuries.

This contrasts with Lincoln, which only saw 12 driving fatalities in 2024. The city did see more crashes leading to death in 2025, with 19 fatalities. Factoring in the cities sizes, an Omahan is about twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as a Lincolnite.

One of the reasons for this can be chalked up to enforcement. The Lincoln Police Department (LPD) appears to be significantly more aggressive in enforcing traffic laws than the Omaha Police Department (OPD).

LPD issued nearly 26,000 traffic tickets in 2024 and accounted for 9% of all traffic stops statewide. In contrast, OPD only accounted for 4% of traffic stops statewide in 2024 and issued a fraction of the number of tickets as Lincoln police. Since 2024, LPD citations have continued to increase by 16%.

Garret Swanson, a spokesperson for the city of Lincoln, said the increase in citations in 2025 could be attributed to the additional officers and a dedicated traffic unit, allowing for increased enforcement across the city, with officers now able to better address locations where violations are serious, rather than an increase in violations. Their officers also participate in grant-funded traffic enforcement projects supported by money from the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

To continue combating serious crashes, the City of Lincoln is implementing the Safe Streets Lincoln Vision Zero Action Plan that will use a systems-based approach to roadway safety utilized in communities across the country, Swanson said.

It sets a goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on all locally maintained streets. The city said the largest contributor to preventable crashes is speed, and inattentive pedestrians and drivers.

OPD said it remains committed to trying to lower serious injury or fatal collisions as well, including selective enforcement, radar signs, social media, and community awareness.

“The Omaha Police Department will continue to enforce applicable city ordinances and state statutes to keep our community safe, specifically regarding speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving,” Washington said.

Differences in Lincoln and Omaha traffic patterns can show up in subtle ways as well.

Omaha utilizes flashing lights with some of their traffic signals during lighter traffic times overnight. However, drivers won’t see the convenience of this at night in Lincoln.

While there isn’t exact data available to see whether there is a difference in crashes in the city that is utilizing these lights or not, the City of Lincoln said they do not place any traffic signals into overnight flashing operation due to safety and operational considerations.

Omaha’s Traffic Engineering Division wasn’t able to be reached for a response.

Nebraska’s Aggressive Driving

Unsafe driving isn’t just a city-to-city issue. A recent analysis done by Consumer Affairs of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found Nebraska has jumped from 44 to 22 in the nation for road rage in just one year.

“Both states [Nebraska and North Dakota] saw enormous year-over-year increases in the rate of deaths and fatal crashes involving aggressive or careless driving,” the report found.

Initiatives for safer driving have been implemented across the state, in attempts to encourage safer driving, including a statute in 2024 making it illegal to turn right on a steady red arrow.

NDOT also runs a “Make It Click” campaign aimed at getting Nebraska drivers to wear their seatbelts. According to NHTSA, Nebraska ranks 46th in the nation when it comes to seat belt usage.

— Olivia White is a freelance reporter with The Plains Sentinel. She previously was a staff writer for The Northside Sun.