Nebraska: State of Driving

Nebraska license plates are no longer emblazoned with the state's official nickname – the Cornhusker State – but it's impossible to drive across its expansive plains without getting a reminder of the importance of that crop.

 

"What Nebraska lacks in mountains, it makes up for in wavy green corn fields that create moving lines as you stare out the passenger window," says Nebraska native Mikah Meyer, a road trip expert who's the first person to experience all 419 U.S. National Park Service sites in a single journey.

 

But there's a lot more to the state than highways flanked by fields of corn. "To best experience Nebraska, you need to exit the Interstate," says Tim Trudell, who lives in Omaha and runs a travel blog. The northwestern part of the state, the panhandle, offers an array of sights and stunning rock formations such as Chimney Rock y Courthouse and Jailhouse Rocks, he says. Consider driving Nebraska's Highway 2, deemed one of the most scenic roads in the country, to the Sandhills. Designated as a National Natural Landmark, the Sandhills is an area named for its breathtaking sand dunes. "The Sandhills provide a panoramic beauty unexpected in a 'prairie state,'" Meyer says.

 

However, the flatness of most of the state makes it a far more relaxed and less challenging place to drive than some mountainous states. Another advantage: you can get great gas mileage.

 

"When driving in Nebraska, you can set the cruise control on the flat road and coast," Meyer says.

 

Like almost all other states, Nebraska imposes minimum auto insurance requirements on drivers. All drivers of vehicles registered in Nebraska must carry liability insurance in the following minimum amounts:

 

 

In addition, Nebraska state law requires insurers to provide UM/UIM coverage of up to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident when a customer requests higher coverage amounts in writing.

 

Drivers who get pulled over must be able to show proof of financial responsibility for all vehicles registered in Nebraska, with some exceptions, such as boats, campers, snowmobiles and dealer-plated vehicles.

 

The state of Nebraska accepts a variety of documents as proof of financial responsibility. These include: a certificate of deposit, a certificate of insurance, a bond, a property bond or a certificate of self-insurance.

 

"The typical Nebraska car is affordable and functional," Meyer says. "Car culture I'd describe as Midwestern practicality," he says. Case in point: his first car had to be unlocked from the passenger door because the driver's side was broken and a friend of his had a ride so covered in hail damage it looked like a golf ball. "But they got us safely from A to B," he says.

 

At the same time, Nebraska drivers don't shy away from big, shiny vehicles with plenty of hauling and towing capacity. A survey of popular cars in each state found that in the Cornhusker State, vehicles from the Ford F-Series are purchased most often. The Chevy Silverado and Ram pick-up trucks are also very popular in Nebraska.

 

"No matter what they're driving, Nebraskans know they need to take a cue from the Boy Scouts and always be prepared. Because towns are far apart, Cornhuskers know to gas up their vehicles when they get the chance and always carry extra food," Trudell says. And they know cell phone service can be nonexistent in some areas off the main highways. "A paper map is a great idea."

 

Seat belt use also factors in, and rural drivers and passengers are less likely to wear seat belts and more likely to die in crashes. Although 35 states have primary seat belt use laws, meaning police can pull over a driver specifically for not wearing a seat belt, Nebraska lacks such a law. In fact, the most recent available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state seat belt statistics show that only about 75% of drivers and front seat passengers in Nebraska reported that they always wear seat belts while the national average is 87%.

 

While gas prices in Nebraska may be the envy of those on the West Coast, they're higher than the ultra low prices enjoyed by drivers in the Southeast. Cornhuskers who want to stretch their paychecks further should try these gas saving tips. As a bonus, little actions that save money, like rolling up car windows on the highway, also help keep you and your passengers safe.

 

While most drivers in Nebraska are permitted to talk on handheld cell phones while they drive, teen drivers are not. A driver who holds any type of Nebraska learner's permit, or a provisional operator's permit – the next step after a permit but one step below a full license – may not use any type wireless communication device while driving. This ban includes cell phones, personal digital assistants that send and receive messages and laptop computers.

 

• Learner's Permit (LPD): At age 15, a teen can get a learner's permit if they pass a written and vision test. The learner's permit is valid for one year and can be renewed. Learner's permit holders may drive only with a licensed driver at least 21 years old.
• School Learner's Permit (LPE): A teen of 14 or 15 may get a school learner's permit, in order to prepare to get a school permit, if they pass a written and vision test. The school learner's permit is valid for three months and can be renewed. School learner's permit holders may drive only with a licensed driver at least 21 years old.
• School Permit (SCP): After holding an LPE for at least two months, a teen of at least 14 years and two months old may get a school permit if they pass a behind-the-wheel driving test and show proof of either a driver education class or completion of 50 hours of driving practice. The school permit is valid until three months after the permit holder turns 16. A school permit holder may drive unaccompanied to and from school, using the most direct route. Otherwise they must be accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older.

• No driving between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. except to and from school or work or if accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old.
• Only carry a maximum of one non-family-member passenger under age 19 for the first six months.
• At age 17, after holding a POP for at least one year, a teen may apply for an unrestricted driver's license. To qualify, they must not have accumulated three or more points on their license for traffic violations in the previous year. One example of the Nebraska points system: a driver caught speeding between 10 and 35 mph over the speed limit will get three points.

Because it's so important for parents to teach, supervise and monitor teen driving, Nebraska offers advice and tips through its Parent's Supervised Driving Program. One tip from the state: while your teen practices driving, avoid conversations on topics like dating, grades and sports so both of you can stay focused on the road.