Have You Been Injured? We're Ready to Fight for You.

What’s the Most Dangerous Interstate in Missouri?

Published on Mar 27, 2018 by Thomas Law Offices.

The Law Office of Mike Campbell has joined forces with Thomas Law Offices as of September 1st, 2020. Click here for details.

2016 was the deadliest year on U.S. highways and roads since 2007. Almost 40,000 people lost their lives in car accidents in 2016.

That raises an interesting question—Where do most fatalities occur? On average, more accident fatalities happen on interstates, highways, and urban/city streets than in rural areas. This makes sense when you consider the fact that city areas and highways usually see far more traffic. City streets also see foot and bicycle traffic which can add to the potential for collisions.

But where are the busiest—and consequently generally most dangerous—interstates and highways in Missouri? A study was performed by Geotab, a vehicle tracking company, that looked at the most dangerous interstates in every state. Recorded fatality rates were considered and adjusted for average daily traffic totals. The most dangerous highways were ones that had higher fatal crash rates.

The study found that Missouri’s most dangerous highway is Missouri’s U.S. 63. U.S. 63 has a fatal crash rate of 0.7 accident fatalities per million vehicles on the road. This data was taken from over the last 10 years.

Comparatively, Missouri’s U.S. 63 is safer than 22 of the nation’s other highways that were deemed the most dangerous in their respective states. Florida’s U.S. 1 is the most dangerous highway in the nation, with a fatality rate of 2.8 fatalities per million vehicles. This puts Missouri almost directly in the middle of the pack.

How Can We Decrease Highway Fatalities in Missouri?

While other states are worse off than Missouri regarding highway fatalities, we have a long way to go until we can call our highways among those safest in the nation. Safety should always be our #1 concern no matter what highway, interstate, or road we’re driving on.

In May 2017, the Kansas City Star interviewed Ray Shank, traffic safety engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation, about what improvements could be made to make Missouri’s highways safer. According to Shank, the Missouri Department of Transportation is working to install rumble strips on each shoulder of U.S. 63 and guard cable in the median.

Rumble strips are bumpy grooves which cause a vehicle to rumble if a driver drifts out of the farthest lanes. Similar strips have been installed on roughly 80% of U.S. 63 so far. These strips, along with a cable in the median, should help prevent accidents caused by lane drifting or swerving for those in the outer lanes.

Improvements like these are one step toward making U.S. 63 safer. It’s also vital for Missouri residents, visitors, travelers, and commuters alike to remember that it’s up to everyone to prioritize safety while driving on U.S. 63 and all our state’s highways and surface streets. Distracted drivers, drivers impaired by alcohol, and drivers who speed or otherwise drive recklessly all cause car accidents that are 100% avoidable. If we all do our part to avoid encouraging these behaviors, we may see less accidents.

If you or someone you love has been in a Missouri car accident and feel the crash was not your fault, legal recourse may be an option. By filing a claim against a negligent driver, you may send a message that encourages them to never make the same mistake twice. To learn more, get in touch with Thomas Law Offices today. We’re ready to offer our assistance however we can.

Free Case Evaluation

At Thomas Law Offices, our personal injury attorneys recognize that our potential clients are likely going through some of the most difficult times of their lives. We don't want you to have to worry about paying out of pocket for legal advice when you're just starting to learn your legal rights and options. That's why we provide free case evaluations. We'll offer our expert advice about your potential case and walk you through how we can help you.

Call us or fill out the form below to tell us about your potential case and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Meet Our Founder

Tad Thomas - Trial Lawyer

Tad Thomas

Managing Partner

Tad Thomas has dedicated his practice to representing plaintiffs in various types of civil litigation, including personal injury, business litigation, class actions, and multi-district litigation.

After graduating with his law degree in 2000 from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, Mr. Thomas immediately opened his own private practice and began representing injury victims.

In 2011, Thomas Law Offices was established in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the past decade, Mr. Thomas has expanded his firm and now has offices in three additional locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics like trial skills and ethics and technology.

Legal & Firm News

Former Nebraska Women’s Basketball Player Sues Coach & University Over Alleged Sexual Grooming

A February 18 civil lawsuit filed by a former University of Nebraska basketball player alleges that the male associate head coach of her then-team used their position of authority to groom her into a sexual relationship with them. This alleged sexual misconduct occurred between 2020 and 2022. Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are the […]

Read More

Iowa Nursing Home Staff Abused and Laughed at Patients According to Records

A whistleblower retaliation lawsuit filed on Feb. 15, 2024, reveals how there was pervasive mistreatment of nursing home residents at a DesMoines, Iowa nursing home beginning as early as March 2022.   A later Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals (DIA) investigation, launched after her dismissal, confirmed the majority of those reports (and others) alleging staff […]

Read More

Tad Thomas Named Lawdragon 500 Leading Consumer Plaintiff Lawyer for 2024

Thomas Law Offices is proud to announce that founder, Tad Thomas, has been recognized by Lawdragon on the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list. Tad has been a trial lawyer for over 20 years. He founded Thomas Law Offices in Louisville, Kentucky, and over the years, his reputation and practice have grown, expanding […]

Read More
Tad Thomas on The National Crime Victim Bar Association
National Civil Justice Institute - Trustee
Tad Thomas on Lawyer Minds
Tad Thomas on American Association for Justice
Southern Trial Lawyers Association
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
Ohio Association for Justice
Kentucky Justice Association
Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America
Martindale Hubbell Preeminent
2021 Public Justice Member
AAJ Masters of Trial Law: Champion