Elm Creek, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elm Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elm Creek and Buffalo County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Buffalo County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 622 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Buffalo County compares with Nebraska
Buffalo County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Buffalo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Buffalo County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 104.3 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 4.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.1% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.8% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 30.1% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Buffalo County sits below Nebraska on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Buffalo County: 27.1% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 16.7% across Nebraska.
Overview
Since 2015, 622 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Buffalo County. They injured 293 people and killed 30.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
Only 8 truck crashes were reported in Elm Creek since 2015; patterns below come from Buffalo County as a whole.
68% of truck crash reports in Buffalo County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 12.9% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 49.2% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (6.6%).
Road surface: 27.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Nebraska: 16.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Elm Creek is I-80, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-183 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 9 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.8% in Nebraska.
Route planning tips for Elm Creek fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Buffalo County.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 27.1% of truck crashes here, more than Nebraska; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Buffalo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 6 |
| US-183 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Buffalo County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 173 |
| US-30 | 8 |
| US-183 | 7 |
| Ne-2 | 6 |
| 080 /255.840/I80 W Of Wb Ramp From Us183-Sw Of | 6 |
| 2Nd Ave | 5 |
| 080 /272.650/I80 Under 2Nd Ave(N44) | 4 |
| 080 /283.500/I80 E Of N10-Sw Of Gibbon | 4 |
Elm Creek at a glance
| Population | 981 |
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,412 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68836) | $86,806 |
| Median home value (ZIP 68836) | $224,414 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Buffalo County 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 | 42 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 37 | -12% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 43 | +16% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 60 | +39% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 42 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 60. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elm Creek
How common are truck crashes in Elm Creek?
622 truck crashes have been reported in Buffalo County since 2015, with 30 deaths and 293 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Elm Creek?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elm Creek: 6.
When do most truck crashes happen in Elm Creek?
December has the most truck crashes in Buffalo County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Elm Creek?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Buffalo County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Elm Creek compare with Nebraska?
Buffalo County records 104.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.7 across Nebraska.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elm Creek?
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.