Springfield, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Springfield: 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 Springfield compares with Missouri
Springfield against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Springfield stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Springfield | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.9 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 44% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.0% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 45% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.8% | 22.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.8% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 40.7% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 17.2% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 30% below the state |
Compared with Missouri, Springfield is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Missouri on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Springfield: I-44 deadliest road: 12 fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of Springfield since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,509 crashes involving commercial trucks in Springfield since 2015: 670 people were injured and 22 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 40.7% across Missouri.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.2%).
Road surface: 4.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Missouri: 7.2%).
Where crashes happen
I-44 leads within 15 miles of Springfield with 12 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-60 (4), US-65 (4) and Mu-Sunshine St (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 44 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.2% across Missouri.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (16%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Springfield fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-44 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Springfield.
- 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 Springfield
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-44 | 12 |
| US-60 | 4 |
| US-65 | 4 |
| Mu-Sunshine St | 2 |
| SR-125 | 2 |
| SR-14 | 2 |
| SR-266 | 2 |
| SR-360 | 2 |
| Sr-N | 2 |
| Sr-Zz | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Springfield) |
|---|---|
| Is 44 | 257 |
| Cst Kearney St | 121 |
| US-65 | 110 |
| Cst Glenstone Ave | 102 |
| Cst Kansas Expy | 91 |
| Cst Chestnut Expy | 77 |
| Cst Sunshine St | 60 |
| Cst Campbell Ave | 56 |
Springfield at a glance
| Population | 170,596 |
| Land area | 83.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,048 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Springfield 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 | — | — | 3.8 |
| 2000s | 54 | — | 5.0 |
| 2010s | 89 | +63% | 3.7 |
| 2020s | 134 | +51% | 6.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 54 a year in the 2000s and 134 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 6.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Springfield
How common are truck crashes in Springfield?
1,509 truck crashes have been reported in Springfield since 2015, with 22 deaths and 670 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Springfield?
Since 2015, I-44 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Springfield: 12.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Springfield?
The worst month is September: 9.7% of truck crashes in Springfield happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Springfield?
44 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Springfield since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Springfield compare with Missouri?
Per 100,000 residents, Springfield has 74.9 truck crashes a year; Missouri has 85.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Springfield?
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.