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Missouri · county

New Madrid County

Residents 15,212Deaths 2024 9Deaths 2015–2024 68Latest 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.

New Madrid County, Missouri, recorded 9 deaths in 5 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 68 deaths in 60 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 15,212 residents, that is 40.9 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.6 times the Missouri rate of 15.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll fell 14% from 79 in 2005–2014 to 68 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is alcohol (a driver reported as drinking): 21.7% against 27.5% for Missouri.

30% of the county's fatal crashes happened between noon to 6pm, and Saturday was the most common day (23%).

9deaths in 20245 fatal crashes
36deaths, 2020–202468 over ten years
40.9per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 59.2
+164%vs Missouri ratestate 15.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01019197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 14 deaths1976: 9 deaths1977: 7 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 11 deaths1980: 8 deaths1981: 9 deaths1982: 15 deaths1983: 8 deaths1984: 4 deaths1985: 4 deaths1986: 13 deaths1987: 8 deaths1988: 5 deaths1989: 7 deaths1990: 10 deaths1991: 13 deaths1992: 5 deaths1993: 9 deaths1994: 8 deaths1995: 9 deaths1996: 17 deaths1997: 15 deaths1998: 13 deaths1999: 6 deaths2000: 3 deaths2001: 14 deaths2002: 6 deaths2003: 19 deaths2004: 5 deaths2005: 11 deaths2006: 8 deaths2007: 6 deaths2008: 9 deaths2009: 11 deaths2010: 12 deaths2011: 8 deaths2012: 0 deaths2013: 8 deaths2014: 6 deaths2015: 4 deaths2016: 8 deaths2017: 10 deaths2018: 5 deaths2019: 5 deaths2020: 9 deaths2021: 1–2 deaths2022: 10 deaths2023: 6 deaths2024: 9 deaths
People killed in crashes in New Madrid County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 9 deaths.

Ten-year total down 14% (79 in 2005–2014, 68 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

MeasureNew MadridMissouriUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202440.915.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202459.215.311.5
Deaths, 2015–2024689,557389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024608,801358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years-14%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads86%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 15,212 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking21.7%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver15%
Pedestriansshare of people killed4.4%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed5.9%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used58.6%
In darknesscrashes after dark40.7%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads86.4%

tick marks the Missouri share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"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

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in New Madrid County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 60 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday23%
Thursday22%
Monday15%
Friday15%
Wednesday12%
Sunday10%
Tuesday3%

Light condition

Daylight59%
Dark, not lighted39%
Dark, lighted2%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Major collector38%
Interstate22%
Local15%
Other freeways and expressways8%
Minor arterial8%
Other principal arterial7%
Minor collector2%

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

Clear78%
Cloudy17%
Rain3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain2%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in New Madrid

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 55Interstate1317819522%29%
2US Route 61US highway1115817422%25%
3US Route 60US highway815617817%21%
4State Route UState highway3424945%33%
5State Route FState highway2464915%50%
6State Route DState highway1849824%44%
7State Route JState highway1444734%36%
8State Route WState highway1424629%36%
9State Route PState highway1252552%40%

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

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
2024591–259.2MO 2024
2023661–239.4MO 2023
20229101–265.7MO 2022
20211–21–21–2—MO 2021
2020791–259.2MO 2020
201955032.9MO 2019
2018551–232.9MO 2018
20179101–265.7MO 2017
201688052.6MO 2016
2015441–226.3MO 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 New Madrid County, Missouri?

9 people died in 5 fatal crashes in 2024; 36 over 2020–2024 and 68 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does New Madrid compare with Missouri?

40.9 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 New Madrid involved alcohol?

21.7% 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 alcohol (a driver reported as drinking) at 21.7%.

Which roads in New Madrid see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 55 (13 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 61 (11 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 60 (8 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in New Madrid?

Most often between noon to 6pm (30% of crashes) and on Saturdays (23%); 40.7% 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.