AAMVA Mourns the Passing of Fred Zwonechek

11/4/2024

AAMVA is saddened to announce that longtime friend of AAMVA, Fred Zwonechek, passed away on October 28, 2024. Fred's career with the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety spanned more than four decades. He instituted and championed many programs, including occupant and child restraint use legislation and education, Drug Recognition Expert program, longitudinal research on teen driving behaviors, standardized field sobriety training, implementation of motorcycle safety training, installation of rumble bars on interstates and state highways, distracted driving education and legislation, use of seatbelt simulators, 24/7 monitoring for multiple DUI offenders, drug courts, "move over" legislation, ignition interlock legislation, multi-state enforcement efforts, alcohol license compliance checks, dynamic messaging signs, and safety grants for saturated enforcement efforts. Making highways in Nebraska and around the country safer for everyone was not just his professional career, but also his personal passion. Fred was recognized with many prestigious awards throughout his career, including AAMVA's 2017 Lifetime Achievement in Roadway Safety in Motor Vehicle Administration award. Fred was a vital member of the AAMVA community, and he will be greatly missed.