Fatal car crashes in Kansas City, Missouri
From 2020 through 2024, 434 people died in 400 crashes on streets and highways inside Kansas City, Missouri.
That is 16.8 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the Missouri rate of 16.0 and above the US rate of 12.1.
I-435 (Rp 227598) had more fatal crashes than any other road here: 43, killing 47.
Hit-and-runs made up 17% of fatal crashes here, against 6% statewide.
In 2024, 81 people were killed, 8% fewer than in 2020 (88).
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · population: Census 2024 estimate, 516,032 · checked October 2, 2026
people killed in crashes, 2020-2024 (400 crashes)
deaths a year per 100,000 residents (Missouri 16.0, US 12.1)
pedestrians killed, 18% of all deaths here
of fatal crashes involved a driver police reported as drinking
Where the fatal crashes happened
Each dot is one crash that killed at least one person, placed at the coordinates in the police report. The outline is Jackson County; the dots are crashes inside Kansas City city limits.
The deadliest roads in Kansas City
I-435 (Rp 227598) leads with 43 fatal crashes in five years. Roads are counted by the name in the crash report; a highway's frontage roads and ramps count toward it.
| # | Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-435 Rp 227598 | 43 | 47 |
| 2 | I-70 Rp 901518 | 18 | 20 |
| 3 | US-71 | 16 | 16 |
| 4 | Truman Rd | 15 | 15 |
| 5 | Prospect Ave | 13 | 14 |
| 6 | Troost Ave | 13 | 13 |
| 7 | Independence Ave | 10 | 11 |
| 8 | Ward Pkwy | 9 | 9 |
| 9 | I-35 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | Blue Ridge Blvd | 8 | 8 |
Deaths by year
When crashes turn deadly
60% of fatal crashes here happened in the dark. The single deadliest hour was 1 am to 2 am.
Sunday had the most fatal crashes (73), and 35% fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
By month, September was the worst (49 crashes across the five years).
What was involved
Shares of fatal crashes (or of deaths) in Kansas City, next to Missouri and the US. Red marks a share at least a quarter higher than the state's.
| Factor | Kansas City | Share | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding was a factor a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions | 203 | 51% | 37% | 28% |
| A driver had been drinking police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver | 147 | 37% | 28% | 26% |
| A large truck was involved a truck over 10,000 lbs | 33 | 8% | 13% | 13% |
| Hit-and-run a driver left the scene | 66 | 17% | 6% | 7% |
| Pedestrians killed share of all deaths | 78 | 18% | 13% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists killed share of all deaths | 65 | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Bicyclists killed share of all deaths | 8 | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| Teens (15-19) killed share of all deaths | 33 | 8% | 8% | 7% |
After a crash in Kansas City
Crash reports here: how to get one from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
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Get the crash report
Statewide copies come from Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Patrol Records Division, cost $6.00 per basic motor vehicle crash report (extra fees for certified copies, photos, reconstruction reports, CDs) and are usually ready Wait 10 days from the date of the crash investigation to request it; the Patrol notes a backlog, so a report may take much longer..
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Know your deadline
Missouri gives you five years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4)).
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Who pays
Missouri is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
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If you were partly at fault
If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover even if you were mostly at fault.
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The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in Missouri is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $25,000 for property (25/50/25).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Missouri. Both take under a minute.
Counties around Kansas City
| County | Deaths 2020-24 | Per 100K a year | Pedestrians | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 603 | 16.6 | 106 | 727,362 |
| Clay County | 99 | 7.5 | 9 | 263,370 |
| Platte County | 58 | 10.2 | 9 | 113,207 |
About these numbers
FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days. It leaves out the far larger number of crashes that only injured people. Places are as coded in the report: a crash on a county road just outside city limits counts for the county, not the city. Rates use the Census 2024 population estimate and the five-year average.