West Union, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Union: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Union and Custer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Custer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 141 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Custer County compares with Nebraska
Custer County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Custer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Custer County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 113.6 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 58% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.0% | 16.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 13.0% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 42% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.7% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 33% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.1% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 25% below the state |
| After dark | 26.7% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Custer County has lower values than Nebraska for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in Custer County: October the month with the most truck crashes: 17.7% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 141 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Custer County. They injured 67 people and killed 7.
That averages about one truck crash every 31 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in West Union since 2015, this page uses Custer County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
72% of truck crash reports in Custer County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 17.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 2.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 32.1% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.9%).
Road surface: 16.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Nebraska: 16.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of West Union since 2015: US-183 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.7% share (Nebraska: 1.8%).
Route planning tips for West Union fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Custer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-183 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Custer County) |
|---|---|
| US-183 | 8 |
| SR-2 | 4 |
| SR-92 | 4 |
| Ne-2 | 3 |
| Ne-92 | 3 |
| South E St | 3 |
| South E Street | 3 |
| 002 /250.950/N2 Se Of Rifle Creek Rd-Nw Of Ansel | 2 |
West Union at a glance
| Population | 72 |
| Land area | 41.7 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68874) | $60,139 |
| Median home value (ZIP 68874) | $89,747 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Custer 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 | 7 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 7 | -3% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 10 | +46% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 13 | +22% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 7 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Union
How many truck accidents are there in West Union?
Custer County has had 141 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 67 people and killing 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in West Union?
The worst month is October: 17.7% of truck crashes in Custer County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in West Union?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Custer County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in West Union compare with Nebraska?
Per 100,000 residents, Custer County has 113.6 truck crashes a year; Nebraska has 60.7.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in West Union?
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.