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Fatal car crashes in Nebraska, county by county

From 2020 through 2024, 1,176 people died in 1,052 crashes on Nebraska roads. That is 11.7 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, about the same as the US rate of 12.1, and the 28th highest rate of the 50 states and DC.

Douglas County had the most deaths (228). The road stretch with the most fatal crashes was SR-64 (Maple St) in Douglas County (17). In 2024, 251 people were killed, 8% more than in 2020.

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · checked October 2, 2026

1,176

people killed in crashes, 2020-2024

11.7

deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 28th highest of 51 (US 12.1)

88

pedestrians killed, 7% of deaths (US 18%)

19%

of fatal crashes were speeding-related (US 28%)

Death rate by county

Deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 2020-2024. Rural counties often rank highest: fewer people, faster roads and longer waits for an ambulance.

Adams County: 9.6 per 100,000 a year, 15 deathsBox Butte County: 33.6 per 100,000 a year, 18 deathsBuffalo County: 10.9 per 100,000 a year, 28 deathsBurt County: 35.7 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsCass County: 22.6 per 100,000 a year, 31 deathsCheyenne County: 31.2 per 100,000 a year, 15 deathsCuming County: 26.8 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsCuster County: 26.7 per 100,000 a year, 14 deathsDakota County: 13.1 per 100,000 a year, 14 deathsDawson County: 13.8 per 100,000 a year, 17 deathsDodge County: 19 per 100,000 a year, 36 deathsDouglas County: 7.6 per 100,000 a year, 228 deathsHall County: 11.8 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsHamilton County: 23 per 100,000 a year, 11 deathsKeith County: 29.5 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsKimball County: 78.7 per 100,000 a year, 13 deathsLancaster County: 6.4 per 100,000 a year, 107 deathsLincoln County: 18.6 per 100,000 a year, 31 deathsMadison County: 9.6 per 100,000 a year, 17 deathsMerrick County: 45.9 per 100,000 a year, 18 deathsOtoe County: 18.1 per 100,000 a year, 15 deathsPlatte County: 6.2 per 100,000 a year, 11 deathsSaline County: 16.3 per 100,000 a year, 12 deathsSarpy County: 4.6 per 100,000 a year, 47 deathsSaunders County: 20.5 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsScotts Bluff County: 14.6 per 100,000 a year, 26 deathsSeward County: 28.1 per 100,000 a year, 25 deathsWashington County: 15.1 per 100,000 a year, 16 deathsWayne County: 22.3 per 100,000 a year, 11 deathsYork County: 26.4 per 100,000 a year, 19 deaths
under 1010-1515-2020-3030+ too few crashes

The most dangerous roads in Nebraska

Fatal crashes by road within each county, 2020-2024. A long interstate shows up once per county it crosses.

#RoadWhereFatal crashesDeaths
1 SR-64 Maple St Douglas County, NE 17 18
2 US-275 L St Douglas County, NE 16 17
3 I-80 13Th St Off Ramp Douglas County, NE 15 17
4 US-6 Dodge St Douglas County, NE 15 15
5 I-80 Lincoln County, NE 10 13
6 I-80 Dawson County, NE 10 10
7 US-77 Lancaster County, NE 10 10
8 I-80 Seward County, NE 9 13
9 SR-2 Otoe County, NE 9 11
10 US-75 Douglas County, NE 9 10
11 US-77 Dodge County, NE 9 9
12 US-30 Merrick County, NE 8 10
13 US-30 Hall County, NE 8 9
14 US-6 Cornhusker Hwy Lancaster County, NE 8 8
15 I-80 Lancaster County, NE 7 8

Deaths by year

Every Nebraska county

30 counties with 10 or more fatal crashes in five years, by deaths. 56 more had fewer than 10 and are listed after the table.

CountyDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Douglas County 228 7.6 36 601,158
Lancaster County 107 6.4 11 332,857
Sarpy County 47 4.6 3 204,828
Hall County 37 11.8 4 62,869
Dodge County 36 19.0 2 37,884
Cass County 31 22.6 0 27,492
Lincoln County 31 18.6 0 33,319
Buffalo County 28 10.9 2 51,156
Scotts Bluff County 26 14.6 1 35,734
Seward County 25 28.1 3 17,769
Saunders County 24 20.5 0 23,406
York County 19 26.4 1 14,375
Box Butte County 18 33.6 1 10,703
Merrick County 18 45.9 0 7,837
Dawson County 17 13.8 1 24,554
Madison County 17 9.6 1 35,579
Washington County 16 15.1 0 21,254
Adams County 15 9.6 0 31,196
Cheyenne County 15 31.2 0 9,602
Otoe County 15 18.1 1 16,591
Custer County 14 26.7 0 10,487
Dakota County 14 13.1 3 21,335
Kimball County 13 78.7 0 3,305
Burt County 12 35.7 0 6,727
Cuming County 12 26.8 1 8,952
Keith County 12 29.5 2 8,148
Saline County 12 16.3 1 14,740
Hamilton County 11 23.0 2 9,564
Platte County 11 6.2 2 35,499
Wayne County 11 22.3 0 9,870

Fewer than 10 fatal crashes, 2020-2024: Antelope County (12 deaths), Arthur County (4 deaths), Banner County (3 deaths), Blaine County (2 deaths), Boone County (4 deaths), Boyd County (1 death), Butler County (9 deaths), Cedar County (8 deaths), Chase County (1 death), Cherry County (8 deaths), Clay County (7 deaths), Colfax County (8 deaths), Dawes County (3 deaths), Deuel County (8 deaths), Dixon County (3 deaths), Dundy County (2 deaths), Fillmore County (8 deaths), Frontier County (2 deaths), Furnas County (2 deaths), Gage County (10 deaths), Garden County (2 deaths), Garfield County (1 death), Gosper County (7 deaths), Grant County (1 death), Greeley County (3 deaths), Harlan County (4 deaths), Hayes County (1 death), Hitchcock County (6 deaths), Holt County (3 deaths), Howard County (3 deaths), Jefferson County (9 deaths), Johnson County (6 deaths), Kearney County (7 deaths), Knox County (6 deaths), Loup County (2 deaths), McPherson County (1 death), Morrill County (11 deaths), Nance County (5 deaths), Nemaha County (6 deaths), Nuckolls County (1 death), Pawnee County (5 deaths), Phelps County (6 deaths), Pierce County (8 deaths), Polk County (8 deaths), Red Willow County (9 deaths), Richardson County (7 deaths), Sheridan County (8 deaths), Sherman County (5 deaths), Sioux County (6 deaths), Stanton County (3 deaths), Thayer County (6 deaths), Thomas County (4 deaths), Thurston County (12 deaths), Valley County (1 death), Webster County (5 deaths), Wheeler County (1 death).

What was involved

FactorNebraskaShareUS
Speeding was a factor
a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions		 205 19% 28%
A driver had been drinking
police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver		 345 33% 26%
A large truck was involved
a truck over 10,000 lbs		 250 24% 13%
Hit-and-run
a driver left the scene		 27 3% 7%
Pedestrians killed
share of all deaths		 88 7% 18%
Motorcyclists killed
share of all deaths		 138 12% 15%
Bicyclists killed
share of all deaths		 12 1% 3%
Teens (15-19) killed
share of all deaths		 94 8% 7%

After a crash in Nebraska

  1. Get the crash report

    City police and county sheriff reports also go to NDOT, but individual agencies can sell their own copies; for example the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office points people to CrashDocs.org for a completed crash report.

    How to get a Nebraska crash report

  2. Know your deadline

    Nebraska gives you four years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(3)). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: A claim against a city, county or other political subdivision is barred unless it is made in writing to the governing body within one year after the claim accrues; suit must begin within two years.

    Work out your date

  3. Who pays

    Nebraska is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.

    Nebraska car accident laws

  4. If you were partly at fault

    Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but if your fault is equal to or greater than the total fault of everyone you are suing (50% or more) you recover nothing.

    The rule and its statute

  5. The other driver’s minimum coverage

    The legal minimum liability coverage in Nebraska is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $25,000 for property (25/50/25).

    Every state’s minimums

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for Nebraska. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim