Salem, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Salem and Dent County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dent County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 118 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dent County compares with Missouri
Dent County against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dent County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dent County | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.1 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 23% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.5% | 7.2% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.4% | 22.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.1% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.1% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.7% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Compared with Missouri, Dent County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
Dent County at a glance: 5.6 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 2.7 across Missouri.
Overview
Police reported 118 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dent County since 2015: 50 people were injured and 6 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 38 days in fully reported years.
Salem had 10 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Dent County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in January (4.2%).
November through March accounts for 42.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.7% in Missouri.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (11.0%).
7.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 7.2% across Missouri.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Salem since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-19 (1), SR-32 (1) and Sr-F (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 2.2% in Missouri.
Route planning tips for Salem fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Dent County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Dent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-19 | 1 |
| SR-32 | 1 |
| Sr-F | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dent County) |
|---|---|
| Mo 32 | 51 |
| Mo 19 | 15 |
| Mo 72 | 9 |
| Rt H | 6 |
| Mo 68 | 4 |
| Rt B | 4 |
| Rt O | 3 |
| Rt Ee | 2 |
Salem at a glance
| Population | 4,726 |
| Land area | 3.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,358 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 65560) | $56,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 65560) | $157,744 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dent 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 | 17 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 8 | -51% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 9 | +10% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 8 | -12% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 17 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 8. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salem
How many truck accidents are there in Salem?
Dent County has had 118 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 50 people and killing 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Salem?
The worst month is May: 11.9% of truck crashes in Dent County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Salem?
Since 2015, Dent County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Salem compare with Missouri for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Dent County has 66.1 truck crashes a year; Missouri has 85.9.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Salem?
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.