Cape Girardeau, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cape Girardeau: 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
3 of 317 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cape Girardeau compares with Missouri
Cape Girardeau against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cape Girardeau stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cape Girardeau | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.8 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 25% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 68% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.4% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 52% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.4% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.0% | 10.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.6% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Compared with Missouri, Cape Girardeau is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Missouri on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Cape Girardeau: 1 in 145 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.7%, against 2.2% for Missouri.
Overview
Since 2015, 317 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cape Girardeau. They injured 158 people and killed 13.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in July (6.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 40.7% for Missouri.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 9.8% of truck crashes.
3.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 7.2% across Missouri.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-55 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by Sr-Ab (2), Independence St (1) and SR-146 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 0.9%, compared with 2.2% in Missouri.
Route planning tips for Cape Girardeau fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-55 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 25.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Missouri.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Cape Girardeau
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-55 | 7 |
| Sr-Ab | 2 |
| Independence St | 1 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
| Southern Expy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cape Girardeau) |
|---|---|
| Is 55 | 133 |
| US-61 | 24 |
| Mo 74 | 20 |
| Cst Sprigg St | 15 |
| Cst Kingshighway | 13 |
| Cst Independence St | 10 |
| Cst Southern Expy | 9 |
| Rt K | 8 |
Cape Girardeau at a glance
| Population | 40,818 |
| Land area | 29.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,395 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 63701) | $66,654 |
| Median home value (ZIP 63701) | $218,055 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cape Girardeau 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 | — | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 12 | — | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 19 | +67% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 27 | +41% | 1.0 |
In the 2000s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 27. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cape Girardeau
How common are truck crashes in Cape Girardeau?
317 truck crashes have been reported in Cape Girardeau since 2015, with 13 deaths and 158 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cape Girardeau?
I-55 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cape Girardeau since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cape Girardeau?
June has the most truck crashes in Cape Girardeau, 10.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cape Girardeau?
Since 2015, Cape Girardeau has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Cape Girardeau compared with Missouri?
The yearly rate is 64.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cape Girardeau, vs 85.9 for Missouri.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cape Girardeau?
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.