Elk, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elk: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elk and Saunders County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Saunders County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 123 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Saunders County compares with Nebraska
Saunders County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Saunders County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Saunders County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.2 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 24% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.57 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 7% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.9% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 35% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.9% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.0% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Saunders County sits below Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Saunders County: June 13.0% of truck crashes happen in June, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 123 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Saunders County. They injured 69 people and killed 8.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 34 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Elk since 2015, this page uses Saunders County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
75% of truck crash reports in Saunders County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 13.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.9%.
November through March accounts for 43.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (9.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.9% of truck crashes, compared with 16.7% in Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elk since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-92 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 2.4%, compared with 1.8% in Nebraska.
Route planning tips for Elk fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Saunders County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Saunders County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-92 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Saunders County) |
|---|---|
| US-77 | 6 |
| SR-66 | 4 |
| SR-92 | 4 |
| 006 /338.040/Us6 & N66 | 3 |
| 006 /338.210/Us6 E Of Dennis Dean Rd | 2 |
| 077 /105.190/Us77 & N64-Sw Of Leshara | 2 |
| 077 /82.070/Us77 & Cr "A"-E Of Ceresco | 2 |
| 077 /93.060/Us77 & Cr "L"-W Of Wahoo | 2 |
Elk at a glance
| Population | 298 |
| Land area | 35.6 sq mi |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68050) | $66,111 |
| Median home value (ZIP 68050) | $181,300 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Saunders 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 | 10 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 13 | +27% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 12 | -7% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 8 | -33% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 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 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elk
How common are truck crashes in Elk?
Since 2015, 123 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Saunders County (69 injured, 8 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elk?
June has the most truck crashes in Saunders County, 13.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elk?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Saunders County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elk compared with Nebraska?
The yearly rate is 46.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Saunders County, vs 60.7 for Nebraska.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elk?
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.