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Cooper County
Residents 17,122Deaths 2024 4Deaths 2015–2024 33Latest data year 2024
FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.
Cooper County, Missouri, recorded 4 deaths in 4 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 33 deaths in 31 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.
With 17,122 residents, that is 19.2 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 24% higher than the Missouri rate of 15.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.
The ten-year death toll fell 20% from 41 in 2005–2014 to 33 in 2015–2024.
Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 15.2% against 11.9% for Missouri.
35% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Friday was the most common day (23%).
Trend since 1975
Ten-year total down 20% (41 in 2005–2014, 33 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.
Compared with Missouri and the nation
| Measure | Cooper | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024 | 19.2 | 15.5 | 11.8 |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 23.4 | 15.3 | 11.5 |
| Deaths, 2015–2024 | 33 | 9,557 | 389,190 |
| Fatal crashes, 2015–2024 | 31 | 8,801 | 358,460 |
| Deaths per fatal crash | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Change vs previous ten years | -20% | +5% | +7% |
| Crashes on rural roads | 87% | 52% | 43% |
Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 17,122 in 2024.
Factors
"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.
Time of day and day of week
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Fatal crashes in Cooper County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 31 crashes with a known hour and weekday.
By weekday
Light condition
Road type
FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Missouri share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.
Weather
Routes with the most fatal crashes in Cooper
| # | Route | Type | In county | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Alcohol | Speeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interstate 70 | Interstate | 14 | 346 | 375 | 28% | 33% |
| 2 | State Route 5 | State highway | 2 | 83 | 98 | 22% | 28% |
| 3 | State Route U | State highway | 2 | 42 | 49 | 45% | 33% |
| 4 | State Route B | State highway | 1 | 76 | 82 | 21% | 38% |
| 5 | State Route O | State highway | 1 | 47 | 52 | 28% | 36% |
| 6 | State Route J | State highway | 1 | 44 | 47 | 34% | 36% |
| 7 | US Route 40 | US highway | 1 | 43 | 45 | 28% | 35% |
Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.
By year, 2015–2024
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths | Drinking-driver crashes | Per 100,000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 23.4 | MO 2024 |
| 2023 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | MO 2023 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17.5 | MO 2022 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | MO 2021 |
| 2020 | 7 | 7 | 1–2 | 40.9 | MO 2020 |
| 2019 | 5 | 6 | 1–2 | 35.0 | MO 2019 |
| 2018 | 7 | 8 | 1–2 | 46.7 | MO 2018 |
| 2017 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0 | — | MO 2017 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17.5 | MO 2016 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | MO 2015 |
Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.
Questions and answers
How many people died in crashes in Cooper County, Missouri?
4 people died in 4 fatal crashes in 2024; 15 over 2020–2024 and 33 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
How does Cooper compare with Missouri?
19.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 15.5 for Missouri and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.
What share of fatal crashes in Cooper involved alcohol?
9.7% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.5% in Missouri. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 15.2%.
Which roads in Cooper see the most fatal crashes?
Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 70 (14 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), State Route 5 (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route U (2 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).
When do fatal crashes happen in Cooper?
Most often between noon to 6pm (35% of crashes) and on Fridays (23%); 32.3% happened after dark.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.