Nebraska truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Nebraska: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Nebraska compares with United States
Nebraska against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nebraska stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nebraska | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.2× the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.4× the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.49 | 1.2× the US |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.3% | 22% below the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.7% | 6.2% | 2.7× the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.4% | 13.8% | 1.5× the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.5% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with the US, Nebraska is lower on garbage-truck share. It runs above the US on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Nebraska: 16.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (the US: 6.2%).
Overview
Police reported 14,139 crashes involving commercial trucks in Nebraska since 2015: 8,021 people were injured and 685 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 3 truck crashes every day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.1% of the year) and are lowest in May (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.7% of truck crashes, vs 41.9% for the US.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 7.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.7% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in the US.
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads in Nebraska with 103 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-81 (35), US-30 (19) and US-6 (15).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 254 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 2.3% across the US.
Their busiest month is September, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Nebraska fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Nebraska.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 16.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above the US), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Nebraska
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Nebraska) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 103 |
| US-81 | 35 |
| US-30 | 19 |
| US-6 | 15 |
| US-34 | 14 |
| US-75 | 14 |
| US-77 | 14 |
| SR-2 | 13 |
| US-83 | 13 |
| SR-92 | 12 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nebraska) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 1,725 |
| US-81 | 180 |
| US-30 | 130 |
| US-6 | 103 |
| US-34 | 97 |
| US-77 | 69 |
| US-20 | 58 |
| US-275 | 51 |
Nebraska at a glance
| Population | 2,005,465 |
| Land area | 76,815.0 sq mi |
| Density | 26 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Nebraska since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,078 | — | 43.1 |
| 2000s | 1,098 | +2% | 42.0 |
| 2010s | 1,176 | +7% | 38.6 |
| 2020s | 1,198 | +2% | 50.0 |
In the 1990s about 1,078 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 1,198. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 44.0 a year in 2016–19, 50.0 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Nebraska
Largest places in Nebraska
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Nebraska
How many truck accidents are there in Nebraska?
14,139 truck crashes have been reported in Nebraska since 2015, with 685 deaths and 8,021 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Nebraska?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 103 fatal large-truck crashes in Nebraska since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Nebraska?
October has the most truck crashes in Nebraska, 9.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Nebraska?
Since 2015, Nebraska has reported 254 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Nebraska compare with the US?
Nebraska records 60.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Nebraska?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.