State traffic fatality toll rises to 219 for year

Twenty-six fatalities were recorded on Nebraska roadways in November, bringing the year-to-date death toll to 219.

According to data released by the Nebraska Department of Roads, fatalities have increased 14 percent over the previous four-year average.

Among the deaths in November, 80 percent of vehicle occupants killed were not using safety belts, up slightly from the year-to-date average of 77 percent

The vast majority of November crashes, 21, occurred in rural locations, and eight were head-on collisions. Five of the fatalities occurred on the interstate, while 16 happened on non-interstate...