ZIP 68503 (Lincoln, NE) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 68503: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lancaster County, 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
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 |
Compared with Nebraska, Lancaster County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Lancaster County at a glance: 1 in 20 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.0%, against 1.8% for Nebraska.
Overview
Lancaster County has recorded 1,360 truck crashes since 2015, with 801 people injured and 34 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.6% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.4%).
14.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 16.7% across Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come US-34 (2), Abigail Dr (1) and CR-ADAMS St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 67 of the truck crashes here, or 4.9%, compared with 1.8% in Nebraska.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (16%).
They recorded 1.5 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 68503 fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lancaster County.
- 25.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Nebraska; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 4 |
| US-34 | 2 |
| Abigail Dr | 1 |
| CR-ADAMS St | 1 |
| CR-SOUTH 148Th Street | 1 |
| CR-W Mill Rd | 1 |
| CR-WAVERLY Rd | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| Salt Creek Roadway | 1 |
| US-6 | 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 |
ZIP 68503 at a glance
| Population | 15,867 |
| Density | 2,099 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $54,232 |
| Median home value | $169,503 |
| Home ownership | 39% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 126 to 117. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 68503
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 68503?
Lancaster County has had 1,360 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 801 people and killing 34.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 68503?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 68503 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 68503?
The worst month is February: 10.2% of truck crashes in Lancaster County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 68503?
Since 2015, Lancaster County has reported 67 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 68503 compared with Nebraska?
The yearly rate is 35.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lancaster County, vs 60.7 for Nebraska.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 68503?
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.