Car accident statistics for Jackson County, Missouri (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Jackson County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 110 in 2020 to 97 in 2021 and 94 in 2022. The count then rose to 120 in 2023 before falling to 112 in 2024. The highest count was in 2023, and the lowest was in 2022. The 2024 count was 2 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths followed the same sequence of decreases and increases: 123 in 2020, 114 in 2021, 111 in 2022, 132 in 2023 and 123 in 2024. The car accident share was 89.4%, 85.1%, 84.7%, 90.9% and 91.1%, respectively. Although the car accident death count fell from 2023 to 2024, its share of all traffic deaths rose.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Jackson County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 359 deaths, or 67.4% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 75 deaths, or 14.1%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 99 deaths, or 18.6%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in crashes involving a passenger vehicle, rather than separate sets of crashes defined by the person killed. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows the FARS classification; it is not a literal test of a person's position relative to a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

By manner of collision, car accident deaths were recorded as Angle (side impact): 147 (27.6%); Head-on: 52 (9.8%); Rear-end: 41 (7.7%); and Sideswipe: 20 (3.8%). Other accounted for 2 deaths (0.4%), and Unknown for 1 (0.2%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 270 deaths (50.7%). This describes the first harmful event: examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not mean the crash involved no other vehicle. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic, so the classification does not test whether another vehicle was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 218 car accident deaths (40.9%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 314 (58.9%). Time of day was Unknown for 1 death (0.2%). The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 518 deaths as Urban (97.2%), 12 as Rural (2.3%) and 3 as Unknown (0.6%). These classifications describe crash locations. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 28, representing 5.3% of the county's car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Missouri and the United States

Jackson County's rate was 14.8 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with Missouri's 13.7 and the United States rate of 10.5. The county rate was higher than both. Among the listed neighboring counties, Wyandotte County, Kansas, had a rate of 12.7, and Johnson County, Kansas, had a rate of 3.4. Jackson County's rate was also higher than each listed neighbor's rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These car accident rates use deaths from 2020 through 2024 and the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for the same years. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The separately displayed 2024 population estimate of 729,123 is not the denominator used to calculate the county rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Jackson County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 301 deaths (49.9%); Roadway departure, 253 (42.0%); At an intersection, 197 (32.7%); Pedestrian involved, 111 (18.4%); Motorcycle involved, 103 (17.1%); Hit-and-run, 74 (12.3%); Driver distraction reported, 27 (4.5%); and In a work zone, 25 (4.1%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The entries describe recorded characteristics, not findings of fault or cause. Their scope differs from the passenger-vehicle-involved counts elsewhere in the table sections.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a motor vehicle on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. Counts use crash location, not the home county of the person killed. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, that location distinction applies to these counts.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. They measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Missouri car accident statistics (2020-2024)