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Buffalo County
Residents 51,156Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 60Latest data year 2024
FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.
NHTSA's FARS file lists 60 people killed in 54 fatal crashes in Buffalo County, Nebraska, between 2015 and 2024, 9 of them in 2024.
With 51,156 residents, that is 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Nebraska rate of 12.1 and close to the national rate of 11.8.
The ten-year death toll fell 23% from 78 in 2005–2014 to 60 in 2015–2024.
Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 10.0% against 7.8% for Nebraska.
40% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Tuesday was the most common day (22%).
Trend since 1975
Ten-year total down 23% (78 in 2005–2014, 60 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.
Compared with Nebraska and the nation
| Measure | Buffalo | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 11.8 |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 17.6 | 12.5 | 11.5 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 60 | 2,346 | 389,190 |
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 54 | 2,087 | 358,460 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Change vs previous ten years | -23% | +4% | +7% |
| Crashes on rural roads | 83% | 69% | 43% |
Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 51,156 in 2024.
Factors
"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.
Time of day and day of week
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Fatal crashes in Buffalo County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 47 crashes with a known hour and weekday.
By weekday
Light condition
Road type
FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Nebraska share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.
Weather
Routes with the most fatal crashes in Buffalo
| # | Route | Type | In county | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Alcohol | Speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interstate 80 | Interstate | 15 | 205 | 247 | 21% | 20% |
| 2 | US Route 30 | US highway | 8 | 88 | 100 | 28% | 8% |
| 3 | State Route 2 | State highway | 1 | 39 | 45 | 23% | 18% |
Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.
By year, 2015–2024
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Drinking-driver crashes | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 17.6 | NE 2024 |
| 2023 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 15.6 | NE 2023 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 1–2 | 7.8 | NE 2022 |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 7.8 | NE 2021 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5.9 | NE 2020 |
| 2019 | 3 | 5 | 1–2 | 9.8 | NE 2019 |
| 2018 | 6 | 7 | 1–2 | 13.7 | NE 2018 |
| 2017 | 5 | 6 | 1–2 | 11.7 | NE 2017 |
| 2016 | 7 | 9 | 1–2 | 17.6 | NE 2016 |
| 2015 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 9.8 | NE 2015 |
Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.
Questions and answers
How many people died in crashes in Buffalo County, Nebraska?
9 people died in 9 fatal crashes in 2024; 28 over 2020–2024 and 60 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
How does Buffalo compare with Nebraska?
12.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 12.1 for Nebraska and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.
What share of fatal crashes in Buffalo involved alcohol?
24.1% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 32.6% in Nebraska. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 10.0%.
Which roads in Buffalo see the most fatal crashes?
Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 80 (15 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 30 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 2 (1 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).
When do fatal crashes happen in Buffalo?
Most often between noon to 6pm (40% of crashes) and on Tuesdays (22%); 45.3% happened after dark.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.