Missouri Drivers Still Not Buckling Up: 63% of Deaths Unrestrained

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we continually analyze roadway safety data to understand the causes and trends behind serious crashes in Missouri and Kansas. The latest figures from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) reveal both encouraging progress and troubling patterns.

While overall fatalities declined in 2023, the data confirms that seat belt non-use remains one of Missouri’s most deadly and preventable traffic safety problems. Nearly two-thirds of all vehicle occupants killed in 2023 were not wearing seat belts—a statistic that continues to cost hundreds of lives each year.

Statewide Overview: A Slight Decline in Fatalities

According to the MSHP’s 2023 statewide crash statistics, 991 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes—a 6 percent decrease from 1,057 fatalities in 2022. That decline marks the first meaningful reduction in fatalities since before the pandemic, when deaths had risen sharply from 881 in 2019 to over 1,000 in both 2021 and 2022.

However, even with this modest improvement, Missouri’s fatality total remains nearly 20 percent higher than its pre-pandemic average and far above the national rate. Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates 40,990 motor vehicle fatalities for 2023. Missouri’s total accounts for roughly 2.4 percent of all U.S. roadway deaths despite representing only about 1.8 percent of the national population.

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 Missouri population estimate of 6,196,156, the state’s fatality rate was approximately 16 deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with a national average of 12.2 deaths per 100,000. That means Missourians are about 30 percent more likely to die in a traffic crash than the average American.

Seat Belt Use: Missouri’s Deadliest Weakness

MoDOT’s 2023 report highlights one alarming fact above all others: 63 percent of vehicle occupants killed in crashes last year were not wearing seat belts. That translates to roughly 625 preventable deaths—people who might have survived if they had simply buckled up. Despite years of education campaigns and enforcement efforts, Missouri continues to lag behind the national average in seat belt usage, particularly among rural drivers and pickup truck occupants.

Why Seat Belt Non-Use Persists

According to MoDOT behavioral data, several factors contribute to low seat belt use in Missouri:
– Weak primary enforcement laws: Missouri law only allows police to issue a seat belt citation if the driver is stopped for another violation.
– Cultural attitudes: Surveys indicate that many rural and male drivers view seat belts as unnecessary for short or familiar trips.
– Vehicle type: Pickup truck drivers are among the least likely to buckle up, yet pickup crashes often involve rollovers and ejections.
– Time of day: Unbelted fatalities are most common at night, when visibility and driver alertness are lower.

Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by about 45 percent for front-seat occupants and by about 60 percent for pickup and SUV occupants, according to NHTSA. In plain terms, many Missouri crash deaths are survivable with proper restraint use.

Contributing Factors Behind Fatal Crashes

Beyond seat belt use, the MSHP 2023 Traffic Safety Compendium identifies several major contributing circumstances in fatal crashes. Speeding was involved in 39 percent of fatal crashes, alcohol or drug involvement was present in 22.5 percent, and single-vehicle crashes accounted for 51.9 percent of all fatal collisions.

Each of these factors overlaps heavily with seat belt non-use. Unbelted drivers are more likely to be speeding or impaired at the time of a crash. The combination of speed, impairment, and lack of restraint is often deadly—especially on Missouri’s rural highways, where many roads lack center barriers or shoulders.

Motorcyclist Fatalities Near Record Levels

In addition to unrestrained occupants in passenger vehicles, motorcycle fatalities remain near record highs. MSHP data show 172 motorcyclist deaths in 2023, making it one of the deadliest years on record for riders. Helmet use and rider visibility remain critical, and protective gear continues to correlate with survivability.

Missouri’s Most Populous Counties: Where Fatalities Concentrate

Fatalities are not evenly distributed across Missouri. The state’s five most populous jurisdictions—St. Louis County, Jackson County, St. Charles County, Greene County, and the City of St. Louis—account for roughly 43 percent of the state’s total population and a large share of traffic deaths.

According to the MSHP’s 2023 summary, Jackson County recorded 132 roadway fatalities, the most of any county in Missouri. That means more than one in eight traffic deaths statewide occurred in Jackson County alone. These numbers are consistent with heavy commuter and freight traffic across Kansas City’s major corridors, including Interstates 70, 435, and 49, where congestion, speed variation, and lane-change crashes are frequent.

St. Louis County and St. Charles County followed closely, together representing another significant share of statewide fatalities. Although urban areas record more total deaths, rural counties still see higher fatality rates per capita, driven by longer response times, narrower roads, and lower seat belt compliance.

Rural vs. Urban Trends

One of the most persistent patterns in Missouri crash data is the urban-rural divide. Urban areas have higher crash totals but lower death rates due to shorter emergency response times and greater seat belt compliance. Rural areas have fewer crashes overall but are more likely to result in death, often because drivers are unrestrained and medical help takes longer to arrive.

MSHP notes that seat belt use is meaningfully lower in rural Missouri compared with metropolitan regions like Kansas City and St. Louis. This difference alone accounts for hundreds of preventable deaths each year.

When and How Fatal Crashes Occur

Missouri’s 2023 data also shows that deadly crashes tend to occur under ordinary driving conditions, not extreme weather or road hazards. A clear majority of fatal crashes happened in clear weather, on dry roads, and during daylight hours. This suggests that distraction, fatigue, and complacency—not storms or road defects—play a central role in Missouri’s fatal crashes.

Unbelted drivers and passengers are particularly vulnerable in these conditions because many of these crashes involve rollovers, ejections, or side impacts where restraint use determines survival.

The Human Cost of Preventable Tragedies

In 2023, approximately 625 Missourians who died in traffic crashes were unrestrained. If every driver and passenger had buckled up, hundreds of families would have been spared the devastation of losing a loved one. Seat belts are one of the simplest, least expensive, and most effective life-saving devices ever invented—yet Missouri’s data shows too many people still choose not to use them.

For comparison, states with strong seat belt compliance programs report overall fatality rates far below Missouri’s. This demonstrates that strengthened public education, targeted enforcement, and community-based safety initiatives could dramatically improve outcomes without massive new spending.

Key Takeaways: Missouri Traffic Fatalities 2023

Total roadway deaths: 991
Change from 2022: −6% (from 1,057)
National roadway deaths: 40,990
Missouri share of U.S. total: ~2.4%
Fatality rate per 100,000 residents: ~16.0 (U.S. average: 12.2)
Speed involvement: 39.0% of fatal crashes
Alcohol/drug involvement: 22.5% of fatal crashes
Single-vehicle crashes: 51.9% of fatal crashes
Jackson County fatalities: 132
Motorcyclist fatalities: 172
Unbelted occupant deaths: 63% of vehicle occupant fatalities

Conclusion: Missouri Can Save Hundreds of Lives Each Year

Missouri’s 2023 data reveals a clear message: most fatal crashes are preventable. While the state made modest progress in reducing overall deaths, the persistence of unrestrained occupant fatalities is a public health crisis hiding in plain sight. Speeding, impairment, and single-vehicle crashes remain critical issues—but failure to wear seat belts remains the single largest factor in fatal outcomes.

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we see firsthand how these tragedies impact families and communities. By sharing this data, our goal is to raise awareness, encourage responsible driving, and advocate for practical steps—public education, targeted enforcement, and community initiatives—to ensure every Missourian gets home safely.

Verified Data Sources
– Missouri State Highway Patrol — 2023 Traffic Safety Compendium
– Missouri Department of Transportation — Missouri Roadway Fatalities Dip Slightly in 2023
– National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Fatalities, 2023
– U.S. Census Bureau — 2023 Population Estimates for Missouri and the United States