Polk County, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk 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 72 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Nebraska
Polk County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 120.8 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.71 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.7% | 16.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.7% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.0% | 20.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 55.7% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 14.3% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 42% below the state |
Polk County has lower values than Nebraska for garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Polk County: 0 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.0%, against 1.8% for Nebraska.
Overview
Police reported 72 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 51 people were injured and 4 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 57 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 13.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 2.8%.
November through March accounts for 55.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Nebraska.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 14.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Nebraska: 16.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Polk County since 2015 were spread across roads: US-81 (3) and SR-92 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Polk County fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.7% of truck crashes here, more than Nebraska; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Polk County) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 3 |
| SR-92 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 14 |
| 081 /78.970/Main St(Us81) At Tenth St | 3 |
| 081 /85.520/Us81 & Polk St | 2 |
| 081 /92.250/Park St(Us81) & Walnut St(N69) | 2 |
| 081 /94.030/Us81 W Of Cr "W"-Ent-E Of Shelby | 2 |
| 092 /394.490/N92 E Of Cr "K"-W Of Osceola | 2 |
| Ne-92 | 2 |
| Us Hwy 81-92 | 2 |
Polk County at a glance
| Population | 5,269 |
| Land area | 438.8 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $73,961 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 5 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | -14% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 6 | +41% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 6 | -11% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Polk County
ZIP codes in Polk County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Polk County
How many truck accidents are there in Polk County?
Polk County has had 72 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 51 people and killing 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Polk County?
The worst month is March: 13.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Polk County?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Polk County compare with Nebraska?
The yearly rate is 120.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 60.7 for Nebraska.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Polk County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.