Highway 63 is one of the most heavily traveled roads in central Missouri, carrying commuter traffic through Columbia, commercial freight between Missouri cities, and University of Missouri–related travel year-round. It is also the site of some of Boone County's most serious and deadly vehicle crashes — including fatal head-on collisions, chain-reaction wrecks in northern Boone County, and high-speed crashes that result in ambulance transports to University Hospital.
If you or someone close to you was injured in a car accident on Highway 63 near Columbia, this guide covers what the law requires, what MoDOT recommends you do at the scene, and what your legal options look like going forward.
Fatal and Serious Crashes on Highway 63 in Boone County
Highway 63 has been the site of several notable traffic incidents and car accidents in the Columbia and Boone County area. News outlets, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and MoDOT social media posts have documented a pattern of serious collisions, particularly in the northern Boone County corridor.
In one of the more severe incidents, three motorists were killed in two separate crashes on Highway 63 north of Columbia on a Thursday afternoon. The sequence of events illustrates exactly why secondary crashes are such a significant concern on this corridor:
These incidents are not isolated. Multiple serious crashes — including rollover collisions, commercial vehicle crashes, and incidents involving injuries that require hospital transport — have been reported on Highway 63 throughout Boone County. The MSHP Troop F routinely posts crash information through its social media accounts and official crash report system.
MoDOT's Steer It and Clear It Policy on U.S. 63
The Missouri Department of Transportation promotes a policy called Steer It and Clear It for crashes on state highways including U.S. 63. The policy is straightforward: after a crash, motorists are advised to assess for injuries first. If no one is seriously injured and it is safe to do so, drivers should move their vehicle out of the travel lane and onto the shoulder or a nearby side road.
The purpose of this policy is to prevent secondary collisions — situations where a stopped or disabled vehicle in the travel lane becomes an obstacle for oncoming traffic, exactly as happened in the chain-reaction crash described above. Stopped traffic on a high-speed corridor like Highway 63 creates serious risk for everyone on the road.
If anyone involved in the crash has serious injuries, do not move the vehicle. Call 911 immediately, turn on hazard lights, and stay with the injured person until emergency responders arrive. Moving a vehicle when injuries may be serious can disturb evidence and compromise safety. The Steer It and Clear It guideline applies only when it is safe and injuries are minor.
Missouri's Accident Reporting Requirement: RSMo § 303.040
Under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 303.040, drivers are legally required to report a car accident to law enforcement if the crash involves injury, death, or total property damage exceeding $500. Virtually every crash on Highway 63 involving another vehicle will meet this threshold, given vehicle repair costs alone.
Failure to report a crash that requires reporting can have serious consequences. It can affect your ability to file an insurance claim, complicate any future personal injury case, and in some circumstances result in additional legal exposure. If you are involved in a vehicle crash on Highway 63, call 911 and ensure law enforcement responds to document the incident officially.
What to Do After a Car Accident on Highway 63
The steps you take immediately after a crash — and in the days following — directly affect your safety, your medical recovery, and your ability to pursue compensation. Here is what matters most:
At the Scene
- Call 911. Request police and emergency medical services. For crashes on Highway 63 in Boone County, Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F typically responds. Note the nearest mile marker or highway feature to help dispatch locate you quickly.
- Follow Steer It and Clear It if safe. If injuries are minor and your vehicle is drivable, move it out of the southbound or northbound lanes to prevent secondary collisions. If anyone is seriously injured, stay put and wait for responders.
- Turn on hazard lights. This alerts approaching traffic to the crash scene and reduces the risk of additional vehicles being involved.
- Gather information. Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Get contact information from any witnesses. Note the license plates of all vehicles involved.
- Document the scene. It is essential to document accident scenes, which includes taking photographs of vehicle damage and positions, road conditions, and gathering witness information. Document from multiple angles before anything is moved — this evidence is critical if fault is disputed.
After the Crash: Get Medical Care Even If You Feel Fine
One of the most important things to understand about car accidents is that adrenaline commonly masks serious injury symptoms. In the minutes and hours after a crash, your body's stress response can suppress pain signals — meaning concussions, internal bleeding, spinal injuries, and soft-tissue damage may not be apparent until the adrenaline fades, sometimes 24 to 48 hours later.
Always seek medical care after a crash on Highway 63, even if you do not feel hurt at the scene. Emergency medical services may transport you directly to University Hospital in Columbia or another local facility if injuries are apparent. If EMS does not transport you, go to an emergency room or urgent care the same day. A medical record documenting the timing and mechanism of your injuries is essential to connecting them to the crash for any insurance claim or lawsuit.
Hurt in a Highway 63 crash in Boone County?
Insurance companies contact crash victims quickly — often before they have had time to understand their injuries or rights. A free consultation helps you know where you stand before you give any recorded statements.
Get a free consultation →How to Get Official Crash Records for Highway 63 Accidents
After a crash on Highway 63, you or your attorney will likely need the official crash report. Here is how to access it:
The Missouri State Highway Patrol posts preliminary crash information on its website for crashes investigated by Troop F (which covers Boone County). Reports become available within a few days of the crash, are considered unofficial online summaries, and remain posted for approximately one year. For crashes investigated by the Columbia Police Department or the Boone County Sheriff's Office, you will need to contact those agencies directly, as their reports do not appear in the MSHP system.
Full official crash reports — which include investigating officer narratives, vehicle diagrams, witness statements, and toxicology notes — contain significantly more detail than online summaries. An attorney can request and interpret these documents, which are often important to building a personal injury claim involving disputed fault or serious injury.
Your Legal Rights After a Highway 63 Car Accident
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system. This means that even if you were partially at fault for the crash — for example, you were slightly over the speed limit when another driver crossed the median into your lane — you can still recover compensation. Your damages are simply reduced by your percentage of fault. In a head-on collision where the other driver crossed the center line, comparative fault is rarely a significant issue for the victim.
Recoverable damages in a Missouri personal injury case arising from a car accident on Highway 63 typically include medical bills (past and future), lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damage. In cases involving commercial vehicles — trucking companies, delivery services — additional claims may exist against the employer for negligent hiring, vehicle maintenance failures, or hours-of-service violations.
Missouri's statute of limitations for personal injury is five years from the date of the crash. While that may seem like a long time, evidence degrades quickly. Witness memories fade, traffic camera footage is overwritten, and crash scene evidence disappears. The sooner you consult with a personal injury attorney, the better positioned you are to preserve the evidence that matters.