Missouri’s New 75 MPH Speed Limit: What It Means if You’re Hurt in a Highway Crash

On October 21, 2026, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced where Missouri’s speed limit will rise to 75 mph. I’m Tyson Mutrux, a personal injury lawyer with offices in St. Louis/Clayton and Columbia, and I want to walk through what changed, where, and why the number on the sign doesn’t settle who’s at fault after a crash.

What Changed

Missouri’s speed statute, RSMo § 304.010 (effective August 28, 2026), now sets the uniform maximum speed on “the rural interstates and freeways of this state” at seventy-five miles per hour. The statute also says no speed limit may be set higher than 75 mph. Urban interstates are a different story: within urbanized areas, the statutory maximum is 60 mph unless a different limit is set and posted.

MoDOT says the increase is “the result of a new law permitting the department to raise the maximum rural highway speed limit to 75 mph,” and that it reviewed each eligible location before choosing.

Where the 75 MPH Limit Is Coming

MoDOT identified eight interstate segments, four of them on I-55:

I-29

• Exit 56 in Andrew County to about 2.5 miles south of the Iowa border (64 miles)

I-35

• Northern Cameron city limit to about 4 miles south of the Iowa border (55 miles)

I-49

• Arkansas border to Exit 24 (24 miles)
• Exit 56 to just south of Exit 101 in Nevada (45 miles)

I-55

• Arkansas border to mile marker 16.6, just south of the I-155 interchange (17 miles)
• Mile marker 19.8 (north of MO 84) to mile marker 64.9 at the Rte. AA bridge (45 miles)
• Mile marker 70.5 (north of Rte. HH) to mile marker 86.6 (south of Rte. PP) (16 miles)
• Mile marker 106.4 (north of Exit 105) to mile marker 164.9 at the Jefferson County line (59 miles)

MoDOT says crews will update signs on these stretches this fall, and drivers should keep following the posted limit until then. MoDOT also says it will monitor crash data at these locations and “may adjust the speed limit back to 70 mph as necessary.”

For Columbia and mid-Missouri drivers: none of MoDOT’s listed segments are on I-70. MoDOT listed “active construction” among the factors it weighed, along with traffic and truck volumes, current speeds, crash history, terrain, road design, and border-state speed limits.

A Speed Limit Is Not a Safe Speed

Even MoDOT is saying this loudly. Director Ed Hassinger: “Let me emphasize the word ‘limit’ here. The highways across our state were not built for 80+ mph traffic. And a driver is looking at a significantly shorter window to react to the road and conditions around them at that speed.”

Highway Patrol Colonel Michael A. Turner added that drivers “must stay aware and reduce their speed on rural interstates when necessary” and “adjust your speed for roadway and weather conditions.”

The law backs that up. RSMo § 304.012 requires every Missouri driver to drive “in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger” others, and to “exercise the highest degree of care.” So a driver doing 75 in a 75 can still be careless if:

• Weather is bad: rain, fog, ice, or snow on I-55 or I-29.
• Traffic is heavy or slowing, especially around trucks.
• Work zones are present, with lane shifts, workers, and reduced posted limits.
• Visibility is poor at night or with sun glare.
• The driver is distracted, tired, or impaired.

In practice, that means “I was going the speed limit” is not a complete defense.

Why Speed Matters in an Injury Case

Higher speed means less time to react and longer stopping distances, which is the point Director Hassinger made. In a crash case, evidence of speed can come from police reports, witness statements, vehicle event data recorders, dashcams, commercial truck data, and accident reconstruction. That evidence often fades fast, so it pays to act early.

How Fault Works in Missouri: Pure Comparative Fault

Missouri follows pure comparative fault. The Missouri Supreme Court adopted it for tort cases in Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. banc 1983), replacing the old all-or-nothing contributory negligence rule. Under pure comparative fault, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but your share of fault does not by itself bar recovery.

So if an insurer says you were partly to blame (maybe you were a few miles over, or changed lanes), that doesn’t end your claim. It goes to how damages are divided. And because every driver owes the highest degree of care, the other driver’s speed for conditions matters too.

What to Do After a Highway Crash

1. Call 911 and get medical care.
2. Move to safety if you can; highway shoulders are dangerous.
3. Photograph vehicles, road conditions, weather, signs and mile markers.
4. Get names, insurance and contact info from drivers and witnesses.
5. Note any work zone or construction signs.
6. Don’t give a recorded statement to the other insurer before getting advice.
7. Talk to an injury lawyer early so evidence like vehicle data can be preserved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Missouri’s speed limit going to 75 mph?

MoDOT named eight rural interstate segments on I-29, I-35, I-49 and I-55, including four on I-55.

When does the 75 mph limit take effect?

MoDOT says crews will update signs this fall. Follow the posted limit until the signs change.

Is I-70 getting a 75 mph limit?

I-70 is not on MoDOT’s October 21 list of segments.

Can the speed limit go back down?

Yes. MoDOT says it will monitor crash data and may adjust the limit back to 70 mph as necessary.

What does the law say about the maximum speed?

RSMo § 304.010 sets 75 mph as the maximum on rural interstates and freeways and caps any speed limit at 75 mph.

If I was driving the speed limit, can I still be at fault?

Possibly. RSMo § 304.012 requires the highest degree of care and a speed that doesn’t endanger others, so conditions matter.

What if I was partly at fault?

Missouri uses pure comparative fault (Gustafson v. Benda). Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, not automatically barred.

What evidence shows a driver was speeding?

Police reports, witnesses, event data recorders, dashcam footage, truck data and reconstruction can all help.

Do you handle crashes outside St. Louis and Columbia?

Contact us to discuss where your crash happened.

Hurt in a Missouri Highway Crash? Call Mutrux Firm

If you were injured in a crash on I-55, I-29, I-35, I-49, or any Missouri highway, call Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

• Main: 888-550-4026
• St. Louis: 314-270-2273
• Columbia: 573-722-2121

Sources: MoDOT, “MoDOT Announces Locations of Increased Interstate Speed Limits” (Oct. 21, 2026), https://www.modot.org/node/98692 ; RSMo § 304.010, https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=304.010 ; RSMo § 304.012, https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=304.012 ; Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. banc 1983).

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