Norfolk, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Norfolk: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Norfolk and Madison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Madison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 236 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Madison County compares with Nebraska
Madison County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Madison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Madison County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.0 | 60.7 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.1% | 16.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.7% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.8% | 20.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.9% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 23% below the state |
Compared with Nebraska, Madison County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Norfolk: US-81 deadliest road: 4 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Norfolk since 2015.
Overview
Madison County has recorded 236 truck crashes since 2015, with 123 people injured and 10 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 17 days in fully reported years.
With 105 truck crashes reported in Norfolk since 2015, this page uses Madison County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
47% of truck crash reports in Madison County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.6% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Nebraska.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
17.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 16.7% across Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Norfolk is US-81, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come N 25th Street (1) and SR-35 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.1% share (Nebraska: 1.8%).
Route planning tips for Norfolk fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2023, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Madison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 4 |
| N 25th Street | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Madison County) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 24 |
| US-275 | 10 |
| 13Th St | 6 |
| 081 /142.600/Us81 & N32-E Of Madison | 5 |
| N 13Th St | 4 |
| 081 /141.300/Us81 & Skyline Rd-S Of Madison | 3 |
| 081 /156.490/13Th St(Us81) & Pasewalk Ave | 3 |
| 275 /77.480/Omaha Ave(Us275) & N24 | 3 |
Norfolk at a glance
| Population | 26,162 |
| Land area | 18.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,442 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Madison 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 | 23 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 20 | -14% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 23 | +14% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 21 | -9% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 23 a year in the 1990s and 21 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Norfolk
How many truck crashes happen in Norfolk?
Madison County has had 236 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 123 people and killing 10.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Norfolk?
NHTSA data shows US-81 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Norfolk since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Norfolk?
Truck crashes in Madison County peak in January, with 13.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Norfolk?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Madison County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How does Norfolk compare with Nebraska for truck crashes?
Madison County records 61.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.7 across Nebraska.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Norfolk?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.