Following is an overview of the laws, limits, and fines as they relate to speeding traffic violations in the state of Nebraska.
Speed limits in Nebraska
Nebraska has one of the highest interstate speed limits in the country. As of October 2015, the state is just one of six to post an 80 mph limit.
75 mph: interstate highways and state freeways
65 mph: state expressways
60 mph: other state highways
55 mph: dustless-surfaced highways that aren’t part of the state highway system
50 mph: non-dustless-surfaced highways that aren’t part of the state highway system
25 mph: residential districts
20 mph: business districts
School zone speed limits are as posted.
Nebraska code on reasonable and prudent speed
Maximum speed law:
According to section 60-6, 185 of Nebraska vehicle code, “No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
Minimum speed law:
Section 60-6, 193 states, “A motor vehicle may not be driven at a speed slow enough to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.”
Due to variations in speedometer calibration, tire size, and margins of error in speed-detecting technology, it’s uncommon for an officer to pull a driver over for going less than five miles above the speed limit. However, technically any amount over can be considered a speed violation so best practices are to stay within the limit.
While it may be difficult to fight a speeding ticket in Nebraska due to the absolute speed limit law, a driver may choose to go to court and claim their innocence based upon one of the following:
The driver may oppose the determination of speed. In order to claim this defense a driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn how to disprove its accuracy.
A driver may claim that an emergency situation caused the driver to break the speed limit in order to prevent injury or damage to themselves or others.
The driver may claim a case of mistaken identity. If a police officer clocks a driver speeding and subsequently has to find them again in traffic, it’s possible that they could make a mistake and pull the wrong car over.
Penalty for exceeding the speed limit in Nebraska
First-time violators may:
Be fined between $10 and $200
Have their license suspended for up to six months
Penalty for reckless driving in Nebraska
There’s no set speed at which violating the speed limit is considered reckless driving. That determination depends upon the circumstances of the violation.
First-time violators may:
Be fined up to $500
Be sentenced to up to 90 days of jail time
Have their license suspended for up to six months
Violators may be required to complete a driver improvement course.
