Van Buren, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Van Buren: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Van Buren and Carter County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Carter County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 92 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carter County compares with Missouri
Carter County against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carter County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carter County | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 149.3 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.4 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 48% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.4% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.7% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 47% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 24.7% | 24.8% | same |
Carter County has lower values than Missouri for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Carter County at a glance: May 17.4% of truck crashes happen in May, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 92 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carter County since 2015: 47 people were injured and 3 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 46 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Van Buren since 2015, this page uses Carter County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 17.4% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (4.3%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.7% in Missouri.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Missouri: 7.2%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Van Buren since 2015: US-60 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Missouri: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Van Buren fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Carter County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-60 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carter County) |
|---|---|
| US-60 | 77 |
| Rt B | 3 |
| Rt U | 3 |
| Mo 21 | 2 |
| Rt J | 2 |
| Rt K | 2 |
| Crd Leuckell Dr | 1 |
| Pvt Nps Peavine Rd | 1 |
Van Buren at a glance
| Population | 775 |
| Land area | 2.0 sq mi |
| Density | 388 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 63965) | $37,697 |
| Median home value (ZIP 63965) | $171,123 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Carter County 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 | 16 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 12 | -29% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 7 | -44% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 7 | +4% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 1990s and 7 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Van Buren
How many truck accidents are there in Van Buren?
92 truck crashes have been reported in Carter County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 47 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Van Buren?
Truck crashes in Carter County peak in May, with 17.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Van Buren?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Carter County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Van Buren compare with Missouri?
Carter County records 149.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 85.9 across Missouri.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Van Buren?
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.