Fatal Roads

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St. Louis County

Residents 992,929Deaths 2024 112Deaths 2015–2024 899Latest 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.

In 2024, the latest year in FARS, St. Louis County (Missouri) had 106 fatal crashes with 112 deaths. Across the ten years 2015–2024 the county recorded 827 fatal crashes and 899 deaths.

With 992,929 residents, that is 9.0 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, 42% lower than the Missouri rate of 15.5 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll rose 59% from 567 in 2005–2014 to 899 in 2015–2024.

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 23.8% against 11.9% for Missouri.

38% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (18%).

112deaths in 2024106 fatal crashes
512deaths, 2020–2024899 over ten years
9.0per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.3
-42%vs Missouri ratestate 15.5 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

062125197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 105 deaths1976: 94 deaths1977: 122 deaths1978: 111 deaths1979: 100 deaths1980: 117 deaths1981: 125 deaths1982: 86 deaths1983: 97 deaths1984: 90 deaths1985: 71 deaths1986: 102 deaths1987: 100 deaths1988: 103 deaths1989: 76 deaths1990: 77 deaths1991: 80 deaths1992: 90 deaths1993: 68 deaths1994: 77 deaths1995: 78 deaths1996: 72 deaths1997: 97 deaths1998: 72 deaths1999: 74 deaths2000: 80 deaths2001: 80 deaths2002: 72 deaths2003: 84 deaths2004: 66 deaths2005: 73 deaths2006: 66 deaths2007: 55 deaths2008: 60 deaths2009: 56 deaths2010: 45 deaths2011: 49 deaths2012: 60 deaths2013: 50 deaths2014: 53 deaths2015: 69 deaths2016: 78 deaths2017: 86 deaths2018: 77 deaths2019: 77 deaths2020: 94 deaths2021: 110 deaths2022: 97 deaths2023: 99 deaths2024: 112 deaths
People killed in crashes in St. Louis County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 112 deaths.

Ten-year total up 59% (567 in 2005–2014, 899 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. LouisMissouriUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20249.015.511.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.315.311.5
Deaths, 2015–20248999,557389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20248278,801358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+59%+5%+7%
Crashes on rural roads4%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 992,929 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27.6%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver36.6%
Pedestriansshare of people killed23.8%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed11.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used57.4%
In darknesscrashes after dark56.2%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads3.9%

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 County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 827 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday18%
Saturday15%
Tuesday14%
Wednesday14%
Sunday14%
Monday13%
Thursday12%

Light condition

Daylight43%
Dark, lighted31%
Dark, not lighted25%
Dusk0%
Dawn0%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Other principal arterial38%
Interstate29%
Minor arterial18%
Major collector6%
Local5%
Other freeways and expressways4%
Minor collector1%

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

Clear75%
Cloudy17%
Rain7%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain1%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in St. Louis

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 270Interstate929310127%40%
2Interstate 70Interstate4034637528%33%
3US Route 67US highway3713614416%27%
4Interstate 44Interstate3627231021%26%
5State Route 367State highway30303340%40%
6Interstate 55Interstate2717819522%29%
7State Route ACState highway23252712%32%
8State Route 180State highway2324244%38%
9Interstate 170Interstate23232439%48%
10State Route 141State highway22313123%16%

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
20241061122411.3MO 2024
202392992110.0MO 2023
20228997259.8MO 2022
2021971103411.1MO 2021
20208594239.5MO 2020
20197477247.8MO 2019
20186977227.8MO 2018
20178086238.7MO 2017
20167078167.9MO 2016
20156569166.9MO 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 County, Missouri?

112 people died in 106 fatal crashes in 2024; 512 over 2020–2024 and 899 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does St. Louis compare with Missouri?

9.0 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 involved alcohol?

27.6% 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 23.8%.

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

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 270 (92 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), Interstate 70 (40 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 67 (37 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in St. Louis?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (38% of crashes) and on Fridays (18%); 56.2% 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.