The Nebraska State Patrol released dashcam video of a crash between a semi and a patrol car. The video shows the trooper swerving at the last second as the semi crossed the center line. NSP touts the trooper's defensive driving skills for preventing a more severe crash.

It's the third time in less than a month that a NSP cruiser has been hit by another vehicle.

This latest incident occurred in the afternoon hours of Monday, July 16, when a trooper was traveling northbound on Highway 34 near Benkelman when his cruiser was struck by a southbound semi. The trooper did not suffer serious injuries, but the other driver was transported to the hospital.

The Dundy County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash. “We want our troopers to safely make it home to their families after each shift, just like we want all drivers to be safe on the road,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Please use caution on Nebraska roads and look out for your fellow drivers.” Monday’s crash follows two others within the last month. In each of the other cases, the NSP cruiser was stopped at the time of the crash. The latest occurred in the afternoon of Friday, July 13, when a trooper was on a traffic stop on Highway 275 near Beemer.

During the traffic stop, an oncoming vehicle crossed over both lanes of traffic and struck the vehicle that the trooper had stopped. That vehicle then hit the NSP cruiser.

The trooper was inside the cruiser at the time and was uninjured, but multiple people in the other vehicles were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening conditions. The Cuming County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation of the crash.

The first crash occurred on June 17 when a trooper was stopped at a temporary stoplight in a construction zone on Highway 20 in Cedar County. The trooper was struck from behind by another car. The trooper suffered minor injuries, but the other driver was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Cedar County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

“The circumstances in each of these cases may have been different, but they all come with an important reminder that a crash can happen at any time,” said Colonel Bolduc. “Always wear your seat belt and refrain from distracted driving.”