Heartwell, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Heartwell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Heartwell and Kearney County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kearney County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 79 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kearney County compares with Nebraska
Kearney County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kearney County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kearney County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 101.0 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.68 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 27% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.0% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.7% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.0% | 20.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.0% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 51% below the state |
Kearney County has lower values than Nebraska for garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Kearney County at a glance: November worst month: 12.7% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 79 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kearney County since 2015: 51 people were injured and 5 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 54 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Heartwell since 2015, this page uses Kearney County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
72% of truck crash reports in Kearney County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
November has the most truck crashes, 12.7% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.7% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (10.7%).
Road surface: 20.0% 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 Heartwell since 2015: I-80 (3) and US-6 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.3% share (Nebraska: 1.8%).
Route planning tips for Heartwell fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 20.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Nebraska), plan winter equipment 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 Kearney County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 3 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kearney County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 12 |
| US-6 | 6 |
| SR-10 | 4 |
| 006 /175.200/Us6 & Cr 26-Ne Of Axtell | 2 |
| SR-6 | 2 |
| 006 /169.380/Us6 Ne Of Cr 20-W Of Axtell | 1 |
| 006 /172.160/Us6 & N 2Nd Ave | 1 |
| 006 /174.200/E Jct Us6 & N44-E Of Axtell | 1 |
Heartwell at a glance
| Population | 82 |
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,123 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68945) | $64,792 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kearney 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 | 4 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 5 | +17% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 6 | +18% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 8 | +30% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 8 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Heartwell
How common are truck crashes in Heartwell?
Kearney County has had 79 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 51 people and killing 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Heartwell?
Truck crashes in Kearney County peak in November, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Heartwell?
Since 2015, Kearney County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Heartwell compare with Nebraska for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 101.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kearney County, vs 60.7 for Nebraska.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Heartwell?
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.