Eastern, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Eastern: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Eastern and Knox County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Knox County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 67 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Knox County compares with Nebraska
Knox County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Knox County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Knox County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.8 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.0 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 100% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 19% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.2% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 51% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.8% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 28% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 34.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 19% below the state |
| After dark | 16.4% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 33% below the state |
Compared with Nebraska, Knox County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Eastern: US-81 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Eastern: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 67 crashes involving commercial trucks in Knox County since 2015: 32 people were injured and 0 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 66 days in fully reported years.
Eastern had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Knox County numbers.
69% of truck crash reports in Knox County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 13.4% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (3.0%).
November through March accounts for 34.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (14.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.2% of truck crashes, compared with 16.7% in Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
US-81 leads within 10 miles of Eastern with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-12 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 1.8% in Nebraska.
Route planning tips for Eastern fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Knox County.
- Check whether your routes use US-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Knox County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 4 |
| SR-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Knox County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 15 |
| Ne-14 | 2 |
| SR-13 | 2 |
| US-34 | 2 |
| Vine St | 2 |
| 012 /157.090/N12 Se Of 521St Ave-Nw Of Niobrara | 1 |
| 012 /161.350/Walnut St(N12) & Spruce Ave | 1 |
| 012 /165.710/N12 At 582Th Ave-E Of Niobrara | 1 |
Eastern at a glance
| Population | 257 |
| Land area | 35.5 sq mi |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68730) | $76,944 |
| Median home value (ZIP 68730) | $208,936 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Knox 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 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 3 | -30% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 3 | +22% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 8 | +127% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 8. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Eastern
How common are truck crashes in Eastern?
Since 2015, 67 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Knox County (32 injured, 0 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Eastern?
US-81 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Eastern since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Eastern?
Truck crashes in Knox County peak in June, with 13.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Eastern?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Knox County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Eastern compare with Nebraska for truck crashes?
Knox County records 66.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.7 across Nebraska.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Eastern?
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.