Number and Rate of Fatalities -5a

The ultimate goal is zero fatalities.

Safety is at the core of everything we do at MoDOT. Whether resident, visitor to the state or highway worker, the ultimate goal is to assure that everyone returns home safely.

*Preliminary numbers are subject to change

Write Up:

Safety is at the core of everything we do at MoDOT. Whether a resident, a visitor to the state, or a highway worker, the goal is to ensure everyone returns home safely.

MoDOT supports efforts to reduce fatalities to half of the 2024 total over the next 20 years—through 2045—as part of the state’s strategic highway safety plan, Show Me Zero. This plan is built around the Safe System Approach and aims to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries by employing strategies across five key elements: Safer People, Safer Vehicles, Safer Speeds, Safer Infrastructure, and Safer Response.

There were 547 fatalities in the first three quarters of 2026, a decrease of 120 compared to the same period in 2025. This represents a 17.9% reduction in fatalities from third quarter of 2025 to third quarter of 2026. The target for 2026 is 887 fatalities or fewer.

Focusing on Show Me Zero, there are currently 15 counties with zero fatalities in the first nine months of 2026. Additionally, there were 28 days without a fatal crash, including three instances where two consecutive days occurred with no fatalities.

Purpose:

This measure tracks the number of fatalities quarterly, annually and 5-year average trends resulting from traffic crashes on all Missouri roadways.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Missouri law enforcement agencies submit a vehicle accident report form to the Missouri State Highway Patrol to be entered into a statewide traffic crash database. The database automatically updates MoDOT’s crash database system, which is part of the Transportation Management System (TMS). The rate of fatal crashes charts display annual and 5-year average fatality and injury rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled for these same crashes. In addition, the fatality rate chart includes the national average.

Going forward, Missouri has established the goal of getting to half of the fatalities seen in 2024 over the next 20 years, 2045, for the THSP. These goals set the tone for what the state is seeking to do: get everyone to their destination safely.