Kansas City, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kansas City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kansas City compares with Kansas
Kansas City against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kansas City stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kansas City | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.8 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 69% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.5% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 19% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.0% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.1% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.3% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Compared with Kansas, Kansas City is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Kansas City at a glance: I-435 deadliest road: 26 fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of Kansas City since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,321 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kansas City since 2015: 461 people were injured and 19 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.2%).
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (8.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 7.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
I-435 leads within 15 miles of Kansas City with 26 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-70 (10), I-35 (8) and I-29 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 36 of the truck crashes here, or 2.7%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (17%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Kansas City fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-435; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- 27.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Kansas; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kansas City
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-435 | 26 |
| I-70 | 10 |
| I-35 | 8 |
| I-29 | 4 |
| SR-32 | 4 |
| US-24 | 4 |
| Prospect Ave | 3 |
| US-69 | 3 |
| US-71 | 3 |
| I-635 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kansas City) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 371 |
| I-635 | 178 |
| I-035 | 101 |
| I070Kta | 63 |
| I-435 | 54 |
| I-670 | 40 |
| Fairfax | 34 |
| Kansas | 33 |
Kansas City at a glance
| Population | 156,752 |
| Land area | 124.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,257 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66112) | $62,313 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66112) | $201,516 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kansas City since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 88 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 90 | +2% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 95 | +5% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 121 | +28% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 88 to 121. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kansas City
How common are truck crashes in Kansas City?
Since 2015, 1,321 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kansas City (461 injured, 19 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Kansas City?
I-435 had 26 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Kansas City since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kansas City?
February has the most truck crashes in Kansas City, 10.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Kansas City?
Garbage trucks were involved in 36 reported crashes in Kansas City since 2015 (2.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Kansas City compare with Kansas?
The yearly rate is 73.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kansas City, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Kansas City?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.