Emerald, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Emerald: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Emerald and Lancaster County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lancaster County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lancaster County compares with Nebraska
Lancaster County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lancaster County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lancaster County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.6 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 41% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 50% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.57 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 2.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.0% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.3% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.9% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Lancaster County has lower values than Nebraska for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Lancaster County: 1 in 20 crashes involve a garbage truck (67 since 2015), vs 1.8% across Nebraska.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,360 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lancaster County. They injured 801 people and killed 34.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Emerald had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lancaster County numbers.
30% of truck crash reports in Lancaster County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Nebraska.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
14.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 16.7% across Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads within 10 miles of Emerald with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-W Mill Rd (1), CR-WEST Bluff Road (1) and Salt Creek Roadway (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 67 crashes, 4.9% of the total, against 1.8% across Nebraska.
Their busiest month is February, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.5, vs 2.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Emerald fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lancaster County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- 25.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Nebraska; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Lancaster County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 6 |
| CR-W Mill Rd | 1 |
| CR-WEST Bluff Road | 1 |
| Salt Creek Roadway | 1 |
| US-34 | 1 |
| Westland Cir | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lancaster County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 145 |
| US-77 | 28 |
| US-6 | 28 |
| SR-2 | 12 |
| Cornhusker Hwy | 9 |
| US-34 | 9 |
| SR-77 | 6 |
| SR-6 | 6 |
Emerald at a glance
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68528) | $75,740 |
| Median home value (ZIP 68528) | $257,103 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lancaster 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 | 126 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 107 | -15% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 111 | +4% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 117 | +6% | 2.0 |
In the 1990s about 126 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 117. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Emerald
How many truck crashes happen in Emerald?
1,360 truck crashes have been reported in Lancaster County since 2015, with 34 deaths and 801 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Emerald?
I-80 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Emerald since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Emerald?
Truck crashes in Lancaster County peak in February, with 10.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Emerald?
67 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lancaster County since 2015, 4.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Emerald compare with Nebraska?
The yearly rate is 35.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lancaster County, vs 60.7 for Nebraska.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Emerald?
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.