Write Up:

Safety is MoDOT’s number one priority. Whether a resident, a visitor to the state or a highway worker, the goal is ensuring everyone returns home safely. 

MoDOT supports efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of zero traffic fatalities 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 199 fatalities in the first quarter of 2025, which is an increase of seven fatalities for the same reporting period in 2024. There were 216 fatalities in the second quarter of 2025, which is a decrease of 14 fatalities for the same reporting period in 2024.  In the third quarter there were 251 fatalities, which is a decrease of 11 fatalities. Missouri saw a 3.63% decrease in traffic fatalities from 2023 compared to 2024, ending the year with 955. The target for 2025 is 955 fatalities or fewer. 

Focusing on Show-Me Zero, there are currently eight counties where zero fatalities have occurred in the first nine months of 2025 and 36 days with zero fatalities, including four instances when two sequential days occurred without a fatal crash.

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.

Targets are based on Zero by 2030 fatality reduction, 1% Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) increase and non-motorized reduction based on overall fatality and reductions. An exception is made for instances where the baseline 5-year rolling average is less than the calculated target using the parameters previously described. When this occurs, the baseline will be used as the target.