Fatal Roads

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Missouri · county

St. Louis city

Residents 279,695Deaths 2024 48Deaths 2015–2024 613Latest 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.

NHTSA's FARS file lists 613 people killed in 569 fatal crashes in St. Louis city, Missouri, between 2015 and 2024, 48 of them in 2024.

With 279,695 residents, that is 20.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 32% higher than the Missouri rate of 15.5 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 36% from 451 in 2005–2014 to 613 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 28.1% against 11.9% for Missouri.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Sunday was the most common day (19%).

48deaths in 202446 fatal crashes
331deaths, 2020–2024613 over ten years
20.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 17.2
+32%vs Missouri ratestate 15.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

04284197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 56 deaths1976: 78 deaths1977: 84 deaths1978: 62 deaths1979: 60 deaths1980: 65 deaths1981: 52 deaths1982: 48 deaths1983: 45 deaths1984: 46 deaths1985: 54 deaths1986: 53 deaths1987: 40 deaths1988: 41 deaths1989: 51 deaths1990: 49 deaths1991: 45 deaths1992: 40 deaths1993: 41 deaths1994: 62 deaths1995: 54 deaths1996: 50 deaths1997: 48 deaths1998: 49 deaths1999: 44 deaths2000: 44 deaths2001: 50 deaths2002: 53 deaths2003: 52 deaths2004: 47 deaths2005: 54 deaths2006: 47 deaths2007: 57 deaths2008: 45 deaths2009: 39 deaths2010: 44 deaths2011: 46 deaths2012: 38 deaths2013: 44 deaths2014: 37 deaths2015: 50 deaths2016: 63 deaths2017: 56 deaths2018: 53 deaths2019: 60 deaths2020: 81 deaths2021: 71 deaths2022: 79 deaths2023: 52 deaths2024: 48 deaths
People killed in crashes in St. Louis city by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 48 deaths.

Ten-year total up 36% (451 in 2005–2014, 613 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

MeasureSt. Louis cityMissouriUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202420.515.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202417.215.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20246139,557389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20245698,801358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+36%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads1%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 279,695 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27.1%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver41.7%
Pedestriansshare of people killed28.1%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed10.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used66.7%
In darknesscrashes after dark63.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads0.7%

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 St. Louis city by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 568 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Sunday19%
Friday18%
Saturday16%
Thursday12%
Tuesday12%
Wednesday12%
Monday12%

Light condition

Dark, lighted59%
Daylight36%
Dark, not lighted3%
Dark, lighting unknown1%
Dawn0%
Dusk0%

Road type

Other principal arterial34%
Minor arterial30%
Interstate21%
Local11%
Major collector4%
Minor collector1%
Other freeways and expressways0%

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

Clear77%
Cloudy13%
Rain9%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in St. Louis city

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 70Interstate5534637528%33%
2Interstate 44Interstate2827231021%26%
3Interstate 55Interstate2417819522%29%
4State Route HState highway17829138%32%
5State Route 115State highway15202015%45%
6State Route 30State highway14758523%29%
7Interstate 64Interstate11404628%40%
8State Route 100State highway5454827%20%
9State Route DState highway4849824%44%
10Interstate 270Interstate19310127%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
20244648817.2MO 2024
202349521318.6MO 2023
202271792128.2MO 2022
202164712025.4MO 2021
202076812529.0MO 2020
201957601921.5MO 2019
20185053718.9MO 2018
201751561120.0MO 2017
201659631822.5MO 2016
201546501217.9MO 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 St. Louis city, Missouri?

48 people died in 46 fatal crashes in 2024; 331 over 2020–2024 and 613 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does St. Louis city compare with Missouri?

20.5 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 St. Louis city involved alcohol?

27.1% 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 28.1%.

Which roads in St. Louis city see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 70 (55 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 44 (28 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and Interstate 55 (24 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in St. Louis city?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Sundays (19%); 63.2% 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.