Kansas & Missouri are home to 2 of the most dangerous winter highways in America
As an estimated 73.3 million people are expected to travel by car this Thanksgiving holiday, one highway that cuts across Kansas and Missouri is among the nation’s most dangerous winter roads, according to a new study.
Interstate 70 across Kansas and Missouri ranks as the 17th most hazardous winter roadway in America, according to a blog post by Kelly Soderund, head of insights at Samsara, a technology company that helps businesses manage vehicles, equipment, and facilities.
The hotspots along I-70 include the downtown Kansas City loop, as well as stretches from Columbia to Kingdom City and Topeka to Junction City.
Topping the list is Interstate 80 in Iowa, with hotspots around Des Moines, Iowa City/Coralville, and the Missouri River crossing at Council Bluffs and Omaha; I-80 in Wyoming, with hotspots around Elk Mountain/Arlington, between Laramie and Cheyenne, and Rock Springs/Green River; and Interstate 40 in Arkansas, with hotspots at West Memphis, Little Rock, and between Russellville and Conway.
Other regional highways that made the list include I-70 in Colorado, with hotspots at the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels, between Vail Pass and Silverthorne, and Glenwood Canyon; I-80 in Nebraska, with hot spots at North Platte, between Kearney and Grand Island, and between Lincoln and Omaha; and Interstate 44 in Missouri, with the hot spot at Springfield.
The study noted that although many shippers scaled back operations and drivers took time off during the week of Thanksgiving, the commercial crash rate per mile rose 13% last year as passenger vehicle volume surged during the holiday.
The risk peaked on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, when fleets returned to the roads alongside millions of holiday travelers on the single busiest travel day of the year, resulting in a 65% spike in the commercial crash rate, the highest of the season, according to the study.
Record number of travelers expected this Thanksgiving
AAA projects that nearly 82 million Americans will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday this year, setting a new record. The majority — 73.3 million — are expected to travel by automobile during the holiday period, defined as the seven days between Tuesday and Monday.
In AAA’s West North Central Region, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, about 6.5 million people are expected to travel, with 5.9 million making their trips by car.
The most congested periods before Thanksgiving Day are expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. The worst times to travel on those days are between noon and 9 p.m. on Tuesday and between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
Minimal traffic impact is expected on Thanksgiving Day.
After the holiday, the worst times to travel will be between 1 and 7 p.m. on Friday, 1 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Monday.
Travelers returning home on Sunday should expect heavy traffic most of the day, according to INRIX.
Travelers also might have to contend with a cross-country storm that could bring snow to parts of Missouri.
“There is an up to 50% chance of winter weather travel impacts across north-central and northeast Missouri Friday through Saturday, with higher potential to the north and east of the state,” the National Weather Service in Kansas City.. “Some uncertainties remain, such as exact precipitation amounts, types, and timing.”
The weather service advises everyone to stay updated by checking the forecast regularly.
This story was originally published November 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM.
