$50 Fine for Going Just 1 MPH Over? Nebraska’s New Law Explained

Nebraska drivers are now facing a tougher set of traffic rules. The new law raises speeding fines for the first time in decades, reclassifies extreme speeding as reckless driving, and broadens the state’s move-over law to cover more than just emergency vehicles. For anyone traveling through Nebraska, this is worth knowing before hitting the highway.

Expanded Move-Over Rule

Every state has some form of a move-over law, but Nebraska just widened theirs. Until now, drivers only had to slow down and move over for emergency responders like police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances.

That changes with the new law. Drivers now have to give space to:

• Any stopped vehicle on the roadside
• Pedestrians
• Cyclists
• People in crosswalks
• Agricultural equipment

The update comes after several serious incidents, including the death of Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Kyle McAcy earlier this year. Law enforcement officials have made it clear: failing to move over puts lives at risk.

Higher Speeding Fines

Nebraska also increased speeding fines, and the new numbers may come as a shock compared to what they used to be. Here’s how the fines break down now:

• 1–5 mph over the limit: $50 (was $10)
• 6–10 mph over: $75 (was $25)
• 11–15 mph over: $125 (was $75)
• 16–20 mph over: $200 (was $125)
• 21–35 mph over: $300 (was $200)
• 36+ mph over: $400 (was $300)

What’s really stood out to many is that creeping just 1-5 mph over the limit now carries a $50 ticket.

Extreme Speeding Now Classified as Reckless

The state also added new consequences for high-speed drivers. Going more than twice the posted limit is no longer just a speeding ticket. It’s now considered reckless driving, which carries heavier penalties.

So far in 2025, Nebraska troopers have stopped 840 drivers going over 100 mph, and about one in five of those cases happened in the Omaha metro area. Lawmakers and law enforcement officials pushed for this change because they felt a simple ticket didn’t match the seriousness of driving that fast.

Other Key Changes

The law also:

• Makes motor vehicle homicide a Class IV felony
• Allows the Nebraska Department of Transportation to temporarily lower speed limits during severe weather or other situations

Public Reaction

The rollout of Nebraska’s new traffic law has drawn plenty of strong opinions. Beyond the headlines about $50 fines for driving 1 mph over the speed limit, drivers are raising questions about how the law works in practice and whether safety is truly the primary focus.

Accuracy and Enforcement

Several people questioned the practicality of writing tickets for very low-level speeding. They pointed out that both radar equipment and vehicle speedometers have built-in error margins. When you add calibration tolerances, tire wear, terrain, and even wind into the mix, the actual speed could be several miles per hour off in either direction. That makes the idea of citing someone for 1 mph over seem unreliable to many.

Interpreting the Move-Over Rule

The expanded move-over requirement also drew some criticism. Drivers asked how “slowing down” would be defined and what happens when traffic is too heavy to safely change lanes. Others worried that poorly placed traffic stops, such as just over a hill or around a curve, could actually increase the risk of accidents when approaching drivers make sudden moves.

How Drivers See It

Some drivers view the change as less about safety and more about generating revenue, while others argue that the real focus isn’t the single mile per hour but the jump in fines across all speeding categories. There’s also a sense that enforcement will likely remain similar to before, with officers rarely pulling someone over for just 1 mph. What the law does change, though, is the floor: the cheapest speeding ticket in Nebraska is now $50, even for the smallest infraction.