ZIP 68826 (Central City, NE) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 68826: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Merrick 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 of 132 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Merrick County compares with Nebraska
Merrick County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Merrick County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Merrick County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 143.8 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 2.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 55% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.9% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 23% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.9% | 20.4% | 13.8% | 37% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.6% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Merrick County sits below Nebraska on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Nebraska on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
Merrick County at a glance: October worst month: 15.2% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 132 crashes involving commercial trucks in Merrick County since 2015: 68 people were injured and 5 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 32 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (15.2% of the year) and are lowest in July (3.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Nebraska.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.9% of truck crashes, compared with 16.7% in Nebraska.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 68826 since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-14TH Road (1) and US-30 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.8%, compared with 1.8% in Nebraska.
Route planning tips for ZIP 68826 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Merrick County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Merrick County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-14TH Road | 1 |
| US-30 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Merrick County) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 31 |
| Ne-92 | 5 |
| SR-30 | 4 |
| 030 /352.990/Us30 Ne Of "W" Rd-Ne Of Clarks | 3 |
| SR-92 | 3 |
| 014 /83.700/N14 & "P" Rd-N Of Central City | 2 |
| 030 /338.450/16Th St(Us30) W Of 5Th Ave-Ent | 2 |
| 030 /351.890/Us30 Sw Of 27Th Rd-Ne Of Clarks | 2 |
ZIP 68826 at a glance
| Population | 3,944 |
| Density | 11 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $74,583 |
| Median home value | $171,576 |
| Home ownership | 77% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Merrick 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 | 6 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 8 | +34% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 9 | +10% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 12 | +32% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 12. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 68826
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 68826?
132 truck crashes have been reported in Merrick County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 68 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 68826?
The worst month is October: 15.2% of truck crashes in Merrick County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 68826?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Merrick County since 2015, 0.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 68826 compared with Nebraska?
Merrick County records 143.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.7 across Nebraska.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 68826?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.