COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Road fatality data for Cape Girardeau County (MO). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 88
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 13
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 15.7
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Cape Girardeau County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 13 deaths in the latest year.
Cape Girardeau County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cape Girardeau County ranks #1,190 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #56 of 84 rated counties in MO. Cape Girardeau County's fatality rate of 15.7 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,190 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #820 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #56 of 84
- in MO by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost CAPE-GIRARDE · Cape Girardeau 15.7/100k · #1,190 of 2,328
Cape Girardeau County · 15.7/100k · increasing
- CRASH 15.7/100k
- FARS #1,190 of 2,328
- NHTSA 88 book
- MILE Increasing
- POST 83 crash
- BAND -27.9% vs MO
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Missouri state profile →
How does Cape Girardeau County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Cape Girardeau County is 28% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in Missouri, Cape Girardeau County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Cape Girardeau County's rate and the state average is 6.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Lafayette County, at 30.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 14.4). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Ripley County (74.0), Pemiscot County (54.7), Morgan County (54.6), Barry County (53.9), Lawrence County (51.5), Douglas County (49.1), Ralls County (47.7), Bates County (43.1), New Madrid County (38.9), Bollinger County (37.9), Saline County (34.7), Stone County (33.7), Wright County (30.9), Lafayette County (30.1).
Cape Girardeau County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
16 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 51% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Cape Girardeau County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Cape Girardeau County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Missouri statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MO
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with CLetter index including MO counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County recorded 88 total traffic fatalities across 83 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 13 fatalities. The county averages approximately 9.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Cape Girardeau County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (83 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Cape Girardeau County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Missouri may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Cape Girardeau County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Cape Girardeau County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Cape Girardeau County?
Cape Girardeau County has a fatality rate of 15.7 per 100,000 residents, which places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Cape Girardeau County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cape Girardeau County ranks #1,190 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #56 of 84 rated counties in MO, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Cape Girardeau County compare to the rest of Missouri?
Cape Girardeau County's per-capita rate of 15.7 per 100,000 residents is below the Missouri county average of 21.8. Visit the Missouri state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Cape Girardeau County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.