I-44 in Missouri: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 268 fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri killed 305 people, the 2nd most of 251 numbered roads in Missouri. In 2024 there were 26 fatal crashes and 30 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 12 counties of Missouri. All fatal crashes in Missouri. I-44 in every state.
Deaths on I-44 in Missouri by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26 | 30 |
| 2023 | 27 | 32 |
| 2022 | 36 | 40 |
| 2021 | 26 | 33 |
| 2020 | 26 | 27 |
| 2019 | 29 | 35 |
| 2018 | 24 | 25 |
| 2017 | 28 | 28 |
| 2016 | 26 | 31 |
| 2015 | 20 | 24 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-44 in Missouri: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Franklin County had the most fatal crashes on I-44 from 2015 to 2024: 38, with 49 deaths. Franklin, Phelps and St. Louis counties together held 40% of fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin County | 4 | 38 | 49 |
| 2 | Phelps County | 3 | 35 | 38 |
| 3 | St. Louis County | 2 | 33 | 34 |
| 4 | Lawrence County | 1 | 26 | 31 |
| 5 | St. Louis city | 2 | 26 | 28 |
| 6 | Greene County | 3 | 25 | 30 |
| 7 | Pulaski County | 1 | 18 | 18 |
| 8 | Crawford County | 3 | 17 | 19 |
| 9 | Laclede County | 2 | 16 | 18 |
| 10 | Newton County | 3 | 16 | 16 |
| 11 | Jasper County | 0 | 10 | 14 |
| 12 | Webster County | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-44 in Missouri
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 15 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.6 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 3.4 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 4.5 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.7 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.9 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.0%
- Feb9.0%
- Mar6.0%
- Apr5.2%
- May6.0%
- Jun12.3%
- Jul9.3%
- Aug11.6%
- Sep9.7%
- Oct11.2%
- Nov5.2%
- Dec8.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-44 in Missouri
9.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 293 miles of I-44 in Missouri, against 9.4 for all interstates in Missouri. That ranks 2 of 4 interstates in Missouri and 77 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 39%; a collision with another vehicle in 33%, a pedestrian in 14%, a rollover in 7.5%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 104 | 39% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 88 | 33% |
| Pedestrian | 37 | 14% |
| Rollover | 20 | 7.5% |
| Other | 14 | 5.2% |
| Parked vehicle | 4 | 1.5% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 0.4% |
| 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
How fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri compare with the state
The largest difference from Missouri: from 2015 to 2024, 0.7% of fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri were at or near an intersection, against 21% across Missouri. Also above the Missouri share: unlit roads at night and distracted drivers. Below it: drinking drivers, speeding, unbelted occupants and motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Missouri. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 268 crashes.
| I-44 | Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 55% | 52% | about the same as the Missouri share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.7% | 21% | below the Missouri share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 41% | 28% | above the Missouri share |
| A drinking driver | 20% | 28% | below the Missouri share |
| Speeding | 25% | 37% | below the Missouri share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 16% | 8.9% | above the Missouri share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 47% | 63% | below the Missouri share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.9% | 5.2% | about the same as the Missouri share |
| A motorcycle involved | 4.5% | 15% | below the Missouri share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 14% | 12% | about the same as the Missouri share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-44 in Missouri?
- 268 fatal crashes killed 305 people on I-44 in Missouri from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 26 fatal crashes and 30 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-44 in Missouri do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Franklin County had the most fatal crashes on I-44 from 2015 to 2024: 38, with 49 deaths. Phelps County was second with 35.
- When do fatal crashes on I-44 in Missouri happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 15 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-44 in Missouri per mile?
- 9.1 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 293 miles of road, against 9.4 for all interstates in Missouri. That ranks 2 of 4 interstates in Missouri and 77 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Missouri with a page
- I-270
- I-435
- 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
All fatal crashes in Missouri, with every road ranked.
Where the I-44 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-44 in Missouri (filed under 16 spellings, such as "I-44", "I-44 BU GLENSTONE AVE", "I-44 BU OSAGE ST", "I-44 NOR"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.