Columbia, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbia: 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 4.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Columbia compares with Missouri
Columbia against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Columbia stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Columbia | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.0 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 53% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 20% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.8% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.8% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.7% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Columbia has lower values than Missouri for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Columbia at a glance: 1 in 24 crashes involve a garbage truck (26 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Missouri.
Overview
Police reported 644 crashes involving commercial trucks in Columbia since 2015: 305 people were injured and 24 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 11.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.3% of truck crashes, against 40.7% across Missouri.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
5.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 7.2% across Missouri.
Where crashes happen
I-70 leads within 15 miles of Columbia with 20 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-63 (8), SR-124 (2) and Sr-B (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
26 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.0% share (Missouri: 2.2%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in November (15%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Columbia fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Columbia.
- Where you can, review stops along I-70; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Columbia.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Columbia
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 20 |
| US-63 | 8 |
| SR-124 | 2 |
| Sr-B | 1 |
| Sr-Z | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Columbia) |
|---|---|
| Is 70 | 266 |
| US-63 | 49 |
| Rt B | 27 |
| US-63C | 18 |
| Mo 763 | 17 |
| Cst Broadway | 15 |
| Mo 163 | 14 |
| Cst Paris Rd | 13 |
Columbia at a glance
| Population | 130,900 |
| Land area | 67.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,938 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Columbia 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 | — | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 28 | — | 2.8 |
| 2010s | 40 | +40% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 54 | +37% | 4.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 28 a year in the 2000s and 54 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Columbia
How many truck accidents are there in Columbia?
Since 2015, 644 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Columbia (305 injured, 24 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Columbia?
I-70 had 20 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Columbia since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Columbia?
June has the most truck crashes in Columbia, 11.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Columbia?
Since 2015, Columbia has reported 26 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Columbia compare with Missouri?
Per 100,000 residents, Columbia has 40.0 truck crashes a year; Missouri has 85.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Columbia?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.