Write Up:

By identifying behaviors and characteristics most associated with severe crashes, MoDOT can make more informed decisions to improve safety. In 2023, there were 992 traffic fatalities in Missouri, a 6% decrease from 2022 and the first decrease since 2019.  The most notable decreases occurred in run-off-road fatalities, intersection fatalities and unrestrained occupant fatalities. The run-off-road and unrestrained occupant fatalities represent the second lowest results in the past eight years, second only to 2019.

The most notable increases occurred in curve fatalities and distracted driving fatalities. The reported 106 distracted driving fatalities represent an all-time high in Missouri. However, the actual number is likely significantly higher as distracted driving is difficult to capture in a crash report. The Missouri legislature passed a new hands-free law for all drivers which went into effect in August 2023. However, full implementation of the law will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2025, when drivers can receive a citation for violating the law. Independent research from Cambridge Mobile Telematics indicates that distracted driving in Missouri has decreased by 7.8% since the law went into effect. Aggressive driving continues to be the leading cause of fatal crashes and remains higher than pre-pandemic numbers, even slightly increasing in 2023.

Missouri's strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, has four emphasis areas: occupant protection, distracted driving, speed and aggressive driving and impaired driving. MoDOT aims to improve safety with every project by utilizing a new Safety Assessment For Every Roadwary (SAFER) approach. For the draft 2025-2029 STIP, the department has programmed 673 projects (50%) with safety improvements totaling approximately $648 million. In addition, MoDOT administers approximately $25 million of federal funds designated for educational, enforcement and outreach programs to improve highway safety.

Purpose of Measure:

The measure tracks annual trends in motor-vehicle-related fatalities resulting from the most common contributing factors or highway features. This data represents the four focus areas presented in Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero.

Measurement and Data Collection:

Missouri law enforcement agencies submit a vehicle crash report form to the Missouri State Highway Patrol to be entered into a statewide traffic crash database, which feeds into MoDOT's Transportation Management System (TMS). MoDOT staff query and analyze this data to determine the number of unrestrained occupants in crashes, how often aggressive driving, distracted driving, alcohol and other drugs contribute to crashes, and whether the vehicles ran off the road, the crash occurred in a curve or at an intersection.