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1979

Nebraska · year

Nebraska in 1979

Deaths 330Fatal crashes 277Per 100,000 —US deaths 51,093

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. Final FARS file for 1979.

In 1979, 330 people died in 277 fatal crashes in Nebraska.

The death toll was about level between 1978 (340) and 1979 (330).

Nebraska accounted for 0.6% of the 51,093 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

40.8% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

34% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 197819791980 →All years

Compared with 1978 and the nation

MeasureNebraska 1979Nebraska 1978United States 1979
Deaths33034051,093
Fatal crashes27729045,223
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver41%36%39%

Counties in 1979

Every county with a fatal crash in 1979, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 74 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Douglas County48549.0441
Lancaster County21267.8203
Dodge County111334.364
Madison County91336.552
Lincoln County81236.061
Scotts Bluff County101028.053
Platte County91028.230
Cass County81036.462
Sarpy County694.4106
Custer County5657.222
Butler County4671.119
Dakota County4628.124
Merrick County4676.627
Seward County4633.848
Hall County558.071
Holt County5549.48
Cedar County4560.526
Washington County3523.524
Antelope County4462.922
Gage County4418.428
Howard County4460.99
Dawson County3416.351
Furnas County3489.53
Johnson County3476.612
Kearney County3459.316
Chase County1–24106.36
Hamilton County1–2441.819
Adams County339.634
Cheyenne County3331.222
Franklin County33106.53
Jefferson County3342.014
Knox County3336.112
Morrill County3366.922
Nemaha County3342.615
Saunders County3312.847
Clay County1–2349.217
Gosper County1–23165.98
Greeley County1–23136.53
Polk County1–2356.913
Banner County1–21–2—3
Boone County1–21–2—6
Box Butte County1–21–2—25
Buffalo County1–21–2—60
Burt County1–21–2—20
Cherry County1–21–2—23
Dawes County1–21–2—11
Keith County1–21–2—33
Kimball County1–21–2—25
Red Willow County1–21–2—16
Richardson County1–21–2—14
Saline County1–21–2—27
York County1–21–2—43
Colfax County1–21–2—21
Thurston County1–21–2—25
Boyd County1–21–2—2
Brown County1–21–2—3
Cuming County1–21–2—18
Deuel County1–21–2—11
Fillmore County1–21–2—12
Frontier County1–21–2—5
Garden County1–21–2—4
Garfield County1–21–2—4
Grant County1–21–2—2
Hitchcock County1–21–2—10
Hooker County1–21–2—0
Nuckolls County1–21–2—3
Phelps County1–21–2—20
Pierce County1–21–2—16
Sioux County1–21–2—7
Stanton County1–21–2—8
Thomas County1–21–2—4
Wayne County1–21–2—18
Webster County1–21–2—9
Wheeler County1–21–2—1

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am5.8%
1am6.6%
2am2.9%
3am1.8%
4am1.1%
5am0.4%
6am1.1%
7am2.6%
8am2.9%
9am2.9%
10am3.3%
11am1.8%
12pm2.9%
1pm5.1%
2pm7.7%
3pm3.6%
4pm7.3%
5pm6.6%
6pm6.6%
7pm4.7%
8pm4.7%
9pm4.7%
10pm6.6%
11pm6.2%

Weekday

Sunday16%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday10%
Thursday10%
Friday15%
Saturday23%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Nebraska in 1979?

330 people in 277 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1979 file.

Which county in Nebraska had the most crash deaths in 1979?

Douglas County with 54 deaths in 48 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1979 compare with 1978 in Nebraska?

330 deaths against 340 in 1978 (+-3%). Nationally the 1979 total was 51,093.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1979 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.