Fatal crashes in Missouri
In 2024, 955 people died in 882 fatal crashes on Missouri roads, 3.6% fewer than in 2023. That is about 3 deaths a day, and 2.4% of all road deaths in the United States.
Missouri ranks 15th of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 14th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Missouri since 1975
Road deaths in Missouri peaked in 2005 at 1,257; 2024's 955 is 24% below that. The lowest year was 2013 with 757. 2024 is 17% below 2000 and 9% below 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 955 | 882 | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 991 | 905 | -6.2% |
| 2022 | 1,057 | 962 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 1,016 | 931 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 987 | 914 | +12.0% |
| 2019 | 881 | 819 | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 921 | 848 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 932 | 865 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 947 | 872 | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 870 | 803 | +13.6% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 766 | 696 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 757 | 683 | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 826 | 762 | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 786 | 716 | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 821 | 778 | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 878 | 786 | -8.5% |
| 2008 | 960 | 845 | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 992 | 900 | -9.5% |
| 2006 | 1,096 | 971 | -12.8% |
| 2005 | 1,257 | 1,117 | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 1,130 | 1,006 | -8.3% |
| 2003 | 1,232 | 1,095 | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 1,208 | 1,082 | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 1,098 | 973 | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 1,157 | 991 | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 1,094 | 964 | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 1,169 | 1,017 | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 1,192 | 1,029 | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 1,148 | 1,006 | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 1,109 | 985 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 1,089 | 947 | +15.0% |
| 1993 | 947 | 841 | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 985 | 874 | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 1,011 | 906 | -7.8% |
| 1990 | 1,097 | 943 | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 1,052 | 936 | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 1,103 | 978 | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 1,045 | 928 | -7.4% |
| 1986 | 1,129 | 970 | +21.3% |
| 1985 | 931 | 827 | -3.7% |
| 1984 | 967 | 841 | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 911 | 810 | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 890 | 785 | -13.9% |
| 1981 | 1,034 | 909 | -12.0% |
| 1980 | 1,175 | 1,025 | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 1,147 | 989 | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 1,190 | 1,042 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 1,181 | 1,011 | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 1,187 | 1,021 | +13.6% |
| 1975 | 1,045 | 896 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Missouri
I-70 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Missouri from 2015 to 2024: 342, with 369 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 29% of all fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024; 6 are interstates, 8 US routes, 6 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (65 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Missouri, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-70 | 342 | 369 | 107 | Jackson, St. Charles, St. Louis city |
| 2 | I-44 | 268 | 305 | 89 | Franklin, Phelps, St. Louis |
| 3 | I-55 | 175 | 190 | 49 | Jefferson, St. Louis, St. Louis city |
| 4 | US 61 | 156 | 172 | 54 | Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles |
| 5 | US 60 | 155 | 177 | 54 | Webster, Greene, Lawrence |
| 6 | US 63 | 149 | 174 | 41 | Boone, Howell, Texas |
| 7 | US 67 | 134 | 142 | 31 | St. Louis, St. Francois, Jefferson |
| 8 | US 54 | 117 | 151 | 34 | Camden, Callaway, Cole |
| 9 | US 65 | 116 | 126 | 30 | Greene, Taney, Pettis |
| 10 | US 50 | 111 | 119 | 38 | Johnson, Jackson, Franklin |
| 11 | I-435 | 100 | 108 | 30 | Jackson, Clay, Platte |
| 12 | State Highway 13 | 99 | 111 | 32 | Polk, Johnson, Stone |
| 13 | I-270 | 89 | 97 | 31 | St. Louis, St. Louis city |
| 14 | I-49 | 86 | 95 | 31 | Cass, Jackson, Newton |
| 15 | State Highway D | 84 | 98 | 15 | St. Louis, Cass, St. Charles |
| 16 | State Highway 5 | 83 | 98 | 26 | Laclede, Camden, Morgan |
| 17 | State Highway H | 83 | 92 | 29 | St. Louis city, Jefferson, Clay |
| 18 | State Highway B | 76 | 82 | 23 | Boone, Jefferson, Cape Girardeau |
| 19 | State Highway 30 | 75 | 85 | 22 | Jefferson, St. Louis city, St. Louis |
| 20 | US 160 | 74 | 81 | 20 | Taney, Christian, Ripley |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in Missouri as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/missouri/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Missouri
Jackson County had the most fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024: 992, with 1,067 deaths. Jackson, St. Louis and St. Louis city together held 27% of fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 59%. 115 counties in Missouri recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, New Madrid County has the highest rate in Missouri: 40.9 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 15.5 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson County | 112 | 992 | 1,067 | 16.9 |
| 2 | St. Louis County | 106 | 827 | 899 | 11.3 |
| 3 | St. Louis city | 46 | 569 | 613 | 17.2 |
| 4 | Greene County | 37 | 373 | 398 | 12.3 |
| 5 | Jefferson County | 25 | 324 | 345 | 11.2 |
| 6 | St. Charles County | 24 | 286 | 301 | 5.9 |
| 7 | Clay County | 24 | 191 | 206 | 11.0 |
| 8 | Franklin County | 16 | 187 | 211 | 17.7 |
| 9 | Boone County | 19 | 173 | 192 | 10.4 |
| 10 | Jasper County | 23 | 170 | 180 | 19.0 |
| 11 | Newton County | 26 | 150 | 166 | 47.1 |
| 12 | Cass County | 10 | 127 | 142 | 9.7 |
| 13 | St. Francois County | 10 | 110 | 120 | 17.8 |
| 14 | Taney County | 13 | 110 | 115 | 22.9 |
| 15 | Lawrence County | 10 | 109 | 123 | 25.5 |
| 16 | Platte County | 9 | 107 | 116 | 9.7 |
| 17 | Cape Girardeau County | 9 | 104 | 110 | 12.0 |
| 18 | Lincoln County | 7 | 102 | 114 | Not enough data |
| 19 | Phelps County | 8 | 97 | 108 | Not enough data |
| 20 | Camden County | 12 | 95 | 107 | 27.2 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/missouri/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Missouri
The heaviest slot is Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 358 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 6 pm to 7 pm; the worst month is August.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.5 percent, 309 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 91 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 160 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 251 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 274 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 234 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 125 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 128 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 152 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 278 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 274 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 193 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.1 percent, 92 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 118 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 177 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 246 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 265 fatal crashes | 2.3 percent, 198 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.2 percent, 109 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 216 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 270 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 207 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.1 percent, 100 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 139 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 158 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 262 fatal crashes | 3.2 percent, 282 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 217 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.7 percent, 146 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 140 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 185 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 262 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 316 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 345 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 3.4 percent, 293 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 114 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 157 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 269 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 339 fatal crashes | 4.1 percent, 358 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.3%
- Feb6.1%
- Mar6.8%
- Apr7.7%
- May8.2%
- Jun9.5%
- Jul9.6%
- Aug9.9%
- Sep9.9%
- Oct9.4%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec8.3%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Missouri: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
52% of fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, above the US share of 43%; 21% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 28% in the dark on unlit roads, about the US share; most, 54%, in daylight. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Missouri | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 52% | 43% | above the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 21% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 54% | 46% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 17% | 21% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 28% | 28% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Missouri roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 68% of the 955 people killed on Missouri roads in 2024; motorcyclists 15% (145), pedestrians 14% (137), cyclists 1.9% (18).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 648 | 68% |
| Motorcyclists | 145 | 15% |
| Pedestrians | 137 | 14% |
| Cyclists | 18 | 1.9% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 7 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Missouri: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 28% of fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024, above the US share of 26%; speeding in 37%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 5.2%, below the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 8.9%, about the US share; 63% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, above the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (5,879 in Missouri).
| Missouri | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 28% | 26% | above the US share |
| Speeding | 37% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.9% | 8.7% | about the same as the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 63% | 49% | above the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.2% | 6.5% | below the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 39%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 31%, a pedestrian in 12%, a rollover in 9.9%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 3,435 | 39% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 2,729 | 31% |
| Pedestrian | 1,034 | 12% |
| Rollover | 872 | 9.9% |
| Other | 573 | 6.5% |
| Cyclist | 94 | 1.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 64 | 0.7% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Missouri
Cars were 39% of the 13,093 vehicles in fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024, pickups 18%, SUVs 18%, motorcycles 10%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 5,086 | 39% |
| Pickups | 2,389 | 18% |
| SUVs | 2,373 | 18% |
| Motorcycles | 1,369 | 10% |
| Truck-tractors | 784 | 6.0% |
| Vans | 556 | 4.2% |
| Other trucks | 495 | 3.8% |
| Buses | 41 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Missouri per resident and per mile driven
| Missouri | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 15.3 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 15.5 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.17 | 1.19 | about the US rate |
Population 6,245,466 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 81,807 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in Missouri
- How many people died in car accidents in Missouri in 2024?
- 955 people died in 882 fatal crashes on Missouri roads in 2024, 3.6% fewer than in 2023. That is 15.3 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Missouri?
- I-70 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Missouri from 2015 to 2024: 342, with 369 deaths. I-44 was second with 268.
- Which county in Missouri has the most fatal crashes?
- Jackson County, with 992 fatal crashes and 1,067 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 112 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Missouri happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Saturday, 8 pm to midnight, with 358 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Missouri involved a drinking driver?
- 2,423 of 8,801 fatal crashes in Missouri from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 28%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Missouri
Every county in Missouri with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Jackson County 992
- St. Louis County 827
- St. Louis city 569
- Greene County 373
- Jefferson County 324
- St. Charles County 286
- Clay County 191
- Franklin County 187
- Boone County 173
- Jasper County 170
- Newton County 150
- Cass County 127
- St. Francois County 110
- Taney County 110
- Lawrence County 109
- Platte County 107
- Cape Girardeau County 104
- Lincoln County 102
- Phelps County 97
- Camden County 95
- Buchanan County 94
- Butler County 93
- Barry County 91
- Christian County 84
- Laclede County 79
- Johnson County 78
- Stone County 77
- McDonald County 77
- Callaway County 74
- Webster County 73
- Howell County 72
- Pettis County 71
- Texas County 67
- Washington County 67
- Lafayette County 67
- Morgan County 63
- Cole County 63
- Dunklin County 62
- Pulaski County 61
- New Madrid County 60
- Pemiscot County 60
- Scott County 57
- Miller County 54
- Crawford County 54
- Polk County 53
- Stoddard County 52
- Warren County 48
- Ste. Genevieve County 45
- Dallas County 44
- Marion County 43
- Ray County 42
- Benton County 41
- Bates County 38
- Perry County 38
- Gasconade County 38
- Henry County 38
- Oregon County 37
- Reynolds County 37
- Montgomery County 36
- Pike County 36
- Saline County 35
- Andrew County 34
- Dent County 34
- Douglas County 34
- Ralls County 33
- Wright County 33
- Ripley County 32
- Audrain County 31
- Bollinger County 31
- Cooper County 31
- Vernon County 31
- St. Clair County 30
- Hickory County 30
- Maries County 30
Road pages for Missouri
Every numbered road in Missouri with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-270
- I-435
- I-44
- I-49
- I-55
- I-70
- State Highway 100
- State Highway 13
- State Highway 21
- State Highway 30
- State Highway 32
- State Highway 43
- State Highway 5
- State Highway 7
- State Highway 76
- State Highway A
- State Highway AC
- State Highway B
- State Highway D
- State Highway H
- State Highway M
- State Highway N
- State Highway O
- US 160
- US 24
- US 36
- US 50
- US 54
- US 60
- US 61
- US 63
- US 65
- US 67
- US 71
Where the Missouri numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.