Dawes County, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dawes County: 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
0 of 42 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dawes County compares with Nebraska
Dawes County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dawes County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dawes County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 44.3 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.21 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 63% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 38.5% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 2.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.6% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.1% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 69.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.6× the state |
| After dark | 30.8% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Dawes County sits below Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Nebraska on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Dawes County: 38.5% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 16.7% across Nebraska.
Overview
Dawes County has recorded 42 truck crashes since 2015, with 8 people injured and 1 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 103 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 19.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 2.4%.
November through March accounts for 69.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Nebraska.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 11.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 38.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Nebraska: 16.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Dawes County since 2015: US-385 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Dawes County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Dawes County fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 25.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Nebraska; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 38.5% of truck crashes here, more than Nebraska; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Dawes County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dawes County) |
|---|---|
| US-385 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dawes County) |
|---|---|
| US-385 | 7 |
| 020 /58.600/Us20 & Ash St(Us385) | 3 |
| SR-385 | 3 |
| 385 /155.300/Us385 At Table Rd-S Of Chadron | 2 |
| SR-20 | 2 |
| US-20 | 2 |
| 020 /37.810/Us20 & Bethel Rd-Ne Of Crawford | 1 |
| 020 /47.050/Us20 E Of Norman Rd-Se Of Whitney | 1 |
Dawes County at a glance
| Population | 8,003 |
| Land area | 1,396.4 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $56,681 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dawes 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 | 3 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 4 | +14% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 5 | +38% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 3 | -48% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 3 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting.
Cities, towns & communities in Dawes County
ZIP codes in Dawes County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dawes County
How common are truck crashes in Dawes County?
Since 2015, 42 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dawes County (8 injured, 1 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dawes County?
The worst month is November: 19.0% of truck crashes in Dawes County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Dawes County?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Dawes County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Dawes County compared with Nebraska?
Per 100,000 residents, Dawes County has 44.3 truck crashes a year; Nebraska has 60.7.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Dawes County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.