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Crashes involving bicycles, pedestrians on the rise in Nebraska

The number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed in accidents involving vehicles is up significantly in Nebraska.

AAA Nebraska’s report says 16 pedestrians have died in accidents this year involving vehicles. That’s up 60 percent. Four bicyclists have been killed, two in Lincoln, and two while riding in rural areas.

Julie Harris, executive director of the Nebraska Bicycling Alliance, says crashes are up in part because of distracted driving.

"I think that has a lot to do with it. Obviously, there’s always the human factors, and if the bicyclists didn’t do something right, or the pedestrian, or whatever. Distracted driving is starting to become a very big issue that we’re starting to look at."

She says drivers should obey the three-foot passing law when sharing the road with bicyclists. And Harris says bicyclists and pedestrians should follow the rules of the road as well.

The number of bicyclists killed in crashes involving vehicles this year is the highest since 2001, when five died and more than 300 were injured.