I-70 between Kansas City and St. Louis is one of the oldest interstates in the country and one of the most crowded with trucks. It's two lanes each way for most of the stretch, with trucks nose to tail. If you were hit there, or on I-44 through the Ozarks, here's what you need to know.
The truck accident statute of limitations in Missouri appears to be 5 years from the date of the crash (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120). Wrongful death generally runs 3 years from the date of death. If a government vehicle or entity was involved, formal written notice is generally required first, on its own clock: 90 days (cities). The evidence clock is shorter than all of them.
How current these numbers are
A licensed attorney checked these Missouri figures against the cited statutes on 2026-09-20. Statutes still change (Florida cut its injury period in half in 2023; Louisiana doubled its own in 2024), so confirm with a Missouri lawyer before you rely on them.
Missouri truck traffic, from I-70 on down
Missouri's I-70 is worn out and packed with trucks. Two lanes each way mean trucks passing each other slowly, blocking both lanes, and cars cutting in and out. I-44 through the Ozarks from Springfield to St. Louis has hills, curves and fog in the valleys. St. Louis and Kansas City are both big rail-truck hubs, with drayage traffic mixing with commuters. The Bootheel along I-55 is flat farmland with cotton and rice trucks. Missouri gets severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and ice storms, and flash flooding in the Ozarks can wash out roads without warning.
St. Louis and Kansas City are both major rail-truck interchange points, and I-70 between them is one of the oldest and most heavily used freight corridors in the interstate system. Springfield adds a substantial truckload carrier presence. Crashes pile up on I-70 (Kansas City–Columbia–St. Louis), I-44 (Springfield–St. Louis), I-55 and I-57 south of St. Louis, I-29 and I-35 out of Kansas City and US-60 and US-63.
How the clock plays out: a crash on I-70
Say you're a trucker westbound on I-70 near Columbia when another rig tries to pass you on a hill and cuts back in too early. You hit the brakes and a car behind you rear-ends your trailer. Now you're in the middle, and the truck that caused it may not have even stopped. Your dash cam could show its trailer number. MoDOT cameras might show the rest. Both need to be pulled before they're overwritten.
What makes Missouri different
Missouri's five-year personal injury deadline is the longest of any state covered here — and that length is exactly what makes the evidence clock so dangerous. A Missouri claimant can be four years from their filing deadline and four and a half years past the day the driver's logs could lawfully be shredded. Wrongful death is three years, and a claim against a city for a defective street can require notice to the mayor within 90 days.
Missouri filing deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | Period | Runs from | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | 5 years | the date of the crash | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 |
| Wrongful death claim | 3 years | the date of death | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100 |
| Notice — state entity | Sovereign immunity with statutory exceptions | the date of the crash | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.600 |
| Notice — city, county or district | 90 days (cities) | the date of the crash | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 82.210 |
On the wrongful death period: Two full years shorter than the injury period.
If a government vehicle was involved in Missouri
Shortest government notice window found for Missouri: 90 days (cities) (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 82.210). It comes due long before the ordinary deadline, it's a precondition to suing, and missing it usually bars the claim entirely. Missouri waives immunity for motor vehicle operation by public employees and for dangerous property conditions. Written notice to the mayor of a city within 90 days for injuries from defective streets or sidewalks.
Public fleets you could realistically be hit by here: MoDOT maintenance trucks, county road district equipment, Metro Transit and KCATA buses, City of St. Louis and Kansas City fleets, and school district buses. Not sure the vehicle was one of these? Work to the shorter deadline until someone confirms otherwise.
If the injured person was a minor
Tolled to age 18 in Missouri under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.170. The clock generally doesn't start until the injured person turns 18. That pause covers the court deadline, not the evidence: a carrier may destroy a driver's logs six months after the crash no matter the injured person's age, and in many states a government notice deadline isn't tolled for a child either.
When the Missouri clock starts
Damages-capable-of-ascertainment. Missouri runs the clock from when the damage is sustained and capable of ascertainment.
Your Missouri dates, calculated
Enter your crash date. Missouri is preselected, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
The evidence clock runs faster than 5 years
- Dashcam and telematics video: often 30 days or less (No federal retention requirement — vendor and carrier policy only).
- ECM / black box data: overwritten as the tractor runs; often lost on repair or resale.
- Driver logs: six months (49 CFR § 395.8(k)(1)).
- Maintenance records: one year while the vehicle is in the carrier's control (49 CFR § 396.3(c)).
- Annual inspection report: 14 months (49 CFR § 396.21(b)(1)).
Until a written preservation letter reaches the carrier, destroying records at the end of a retention period is routine and lawful. The FMCSA regulations and evidence guide explains each record.
Local moves that protect a Missouri claim
- The Missouri State Highway Patrol handles crashes on the interstates. Request the Missouri Uniform Crash Report through them.
- If the truck that caused the crash didn't stop, note any trailer number, company name or distinctive markings you remember.
- MoDOT traffic cameras cover parts of I-70 and I-44. Ask about saving footage right away.
Fault rules and damages caps are covered on the Missouri truck accident lawyer page.
Crashed near the Missouri line?
A crash a few miles over a border can fall under a different deadline. If you're not sure which state you were in, check both.
| State | Injury deadline | Wrongful death |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 2 years | 2 years |
| Illinois | 2 years | 2 years |
| Kentucky | 1 year | 1 year |
| Tennessee | 1 year | 1 year |
| Arkansas | 3 years | 3 years |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | 2 years |
| Kansas | 2 years | 2 years |
| Nebraska | 4 years | 2 years |
Compare any state with the filing deadline calculator, or see the full state index.
Next steps
- Get a preservation letter to the carrier. It's the most time-critical step.
- Confirm whether a government entity was involved. If so, your 5 years deadline may give way to 90 days (cities).
- Don't give a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer.
- Get the Missouri crash report; it names the carrier, DOT number and insurer.
- Have a lawyer licensed in Missouri confirm these dates against the current statute.
Sources
- Hours of Service — records of duty status retention — 49 CFR § 395.8 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance — record retention — 49 CFR Part 396 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Accident register requirements — 49 CFR § 390.15 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Federal regulations and crash statistics are updated periodically. Figures cited on this page reflect the referenced publications at the time of writing; check the source for the current edition.