West Plains, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Plains: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Plains and Howell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Howell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 392 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Howell County compares with Missouri
Howell County against Missouri and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howell County | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 82.3 | 85.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.1% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 43% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.0% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.3% | 10.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.3% | 24.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Missouri, Howell County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Missouri on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in West Plains: US-63 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of West Plains: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 392 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Howell County. They injured 206 people and killed 16.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
West Plains had 101 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Howell County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in December (4.8%).
November through March accounts for 40.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.7% in Missouri.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 9.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Missouri: 7.2%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of West Plains is US-63, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by Broadway St (1), SR-14 (1) and SR-17 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 2.2% in Missouri.
Route planning tips for West Plains fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Howell County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-63; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Howell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 7 |
| Broadway St | 1 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
| SR-17 | 1 |
| Sr-Cc | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howell County) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 162 |
| US-60 | 58 |
| Mo 17 | 33 |
| US-160 | 25 |
| Mo 14 | 8 |
| Mo 142 | 6 |
| Rt Cc | 5 |
| Rt Bb | 4 |
West Plains at a glance
| Population | 12,704 |
| Land area | 13.3 sq mi |
| Density | 955 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 65775) | $52,206 |
| Median home value (ZIP 65775) | $182,436 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howell 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 | 31 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 20 | -37% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 24 | +20% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 34 | +45% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 31 to 34. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Plains
How common are truck crashes in West Plains?
392 truck crashes have been reported in Howell County since 2015, with 16 deaths and 206 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in West Plains?
NHTSA data shows US-63 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of West Plains since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in West Plains?
The worst month is January: 9.9% of truck crashes in Howell County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in West Plains?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Howell County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in West Plains compared with Missouri?
The yearly rate is 82.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Howell County, vs 85.9 for Missouri.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in West Plains?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.