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Storm could bring slick roads to northern Missouri

December 19, 2011 By

A winter storm passing through the Midwest over the next 48 hours could bring three to five inches of snow to far northwest Missouri. National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O’Malley says further east and south, snowfall amounts will range from as little as a dusting to around two inches.

This image shows the National Weather Service's prediction as of Monday afternoon. Find the latest information on its website, listed with this story.

On Tuesday morning and afternoon, areas with temperatures around 31 or 32 degrees could see a period of freezing rain or drizzle. That is expected to occur along the Highway 36 cooridor and could produce some slick driving conditions, though he notes the outlook is not as bad as it would be if the temperature were just a few degrees colder.

The system will end with a final band of snow Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning along the I-70 coordor from Kansas City to Jefferson City, then northwest toward Davenport, Iowa and Springfield, Illinois. O’Malley says that final band may include a burst of snowfall lasting around an hour, leaving a strip of one to one-and-a-half inches of snow.

The brunt of the system will effect areas south and west of Missouri. O’Malley says those planning to drive to those regions should alter plans as possible. “Anyone trying to head down toward the Dodge City area, or anywhere basically west of Wichita and then into the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle for tomorrow is going to run into probably a lot of closed roadways. There will be blizzard conditions down in southwest Kansas, southeast Colorado and northwest Oklahoma and travel is not recommended in that area.” O’Malley recommends delaying travel to those areas until Wednesday at the earliest.

Follow the latest information from the Pleasant Hill office of the National Weather Service by clicking here.

Filed Under: News, Travel, Weather

State transportation leaders take opposing views to proposted cell-phone ban

December 16, 2011 By

Transportation leaders in the House and Senate square off on opposite sides of a cell phone ban in vehicles. Senator Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) heads the Transportation Committee and has seen several proposals to ban texting or talking while driving come through. In response to the latest urging of the National Transportation Safety Board for all states to pass a blanket ban, he says you can’t legislate common sense, and he says Missouri can and will govern its own.

“And we need drivers to be drivers, is what it amounts, maybe we need to strengthen the laws on inattention but I’m not sure that talking on a cell phone or hands free device is any more dangerous than changing the radio station or dropping a CD on the floor or whatever,” Stouffer says, pointing to the myriad of things people do when they’re driving, such as eating, talking to passengers, reading maps, looking through paperwork. “there’s too many distractions in our vehicles and its up to drivers to hand that and to take responsibility for what they’re doing.”

He says in 2009, the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill that bans texting while driving for people 21 and younger, which is now law.

“We need to do away with the mentality that states need supervision from the federal government to carry out their day-to-day functions,” he says. “It is time to let folks use their better judgment and let common sense prevail. The more we transfer common sense to the government and away from people — when it comes to safety, parenting and our daily lives — the fewer freedoms we will all enjoy.”

However, Rep. Charlie Denison (R-Springfield) is chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He says he thinks its a good idea and will support legislation that bans all drivers from using electronic devices.

“I think it’s good,” Denison says. “I think it’s something that needs to be, and the studies I’ve seen, there’s been so many accidents that are caused by texting or just using hand held phones while you’re driving. I think it would really make a difference in education and promoting the fact that it is illegal and it would be subject to a fine.”

He admits enforcement would present a challenge, which is echoed by the Highway Patrol, which reports issuing only about 100 citations, statewide, over the past year for drivers under 21 texting while driving.

Rep. Don Wells has said he plans to propose legislation on such a ban for all ages, but Stouffer thinks a bill would have a hard time passing both chambers and becoming law.

Filed Under: Legislature, News, Politics & Government, Transportation, Travel

Truckers banned from using cell phones while driving

December 8, 2011 By

A new U.S. Department of Transportation rule means truck and bus drivers can no longer talk on the phone while driving.

Highway Patrol Captain Tim Hull says the rule will be adopted into Missouri statute, and seeks to keep all motorists safer.

Commercial truck and bus drivers may not use cell phones or “push to talk” phones in any state. CB radios and hands-free devices are still allowed. Hull says this does not apply to intrastate drivers, which includes farmers who do not travel beyond 150 miles from their home.

Commercial interstate drivers can still use their cell phones while driving to contact law inforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.

Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says the joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is the latest rule by the USDOT to address distracted driving.

The rule states that “The definition of a mobile communication device includes cell phones and ‘push to talk’ phones.”

The new rule also places some restrictions on hands-free mobile communication devices.  Hands-free devices must be able to be dialed by pressing a single button.  Reaching for a mobile communication device in an unsafe manner (i.e., reaching for the mobile device on the passenger seat, under the driver’s seat, in a sleeper birth, or any area outside the driver’s reach) is prohibited.

The new rule specifies that it affects “all commercial motor vehicles operated in interstate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, a vehicle operated solely in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or a vehicle transporting any amount of hazardous materials requiring a placard.  The new rule includes all contracted school bus operations and shuttle buses.  All intrastate carriers who are exempted currently from the federal regulations by the state of Missouri will not be affected by the new rule”

The final rule can be found on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website at www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Hull says while this rule does not affect all motorists, anyone behind the wheel should refrain from talking on the phone while driving. Driver distraction accounts for a majority of all accidents in Missouri. It accounts for the second most amount of fatal accidents.

He says there have been no major problems with commercial drivers causing accidents because of cell phone usage in our state, but that these kinds of rules are created — to prevent tragedies before they happen.

Filed Under: Law Enforcement, News, Politics & Government, Transportation, Travel

Light snow snarls traffic

December 6, 2011 By

The accumulation is little in Central Missouri, but slick conditions had many struggling to get to school and work. The Missouri Department of Transportation says as snow continues to fall across the state, it’s reminding motorists to use caution.

Click the map to be redirected to the MoDOT Traveler Information Map interactive.

“This is the first winter weather event of the season for many Central Missouri drivers, and there are ways to be prepared for driving on wet or snowy roadways,” the Department says, and offers these pointers for getting there safely.

  • Before the trip, make sure your car is winterized with fresh antifreeze, correct tire pressure, a good battery, and oil that will withstand the rigors of cold weather.
  • Equip your car with a first aid kit, a flashlight, extra blankets, sand to use for traction under your wheels, and other items to help in an emergency.
  • If possible, consider postponing your trip until precipitation has ended and roads are clear.
  • If you do have to travel, adjust your speed to suit driving conditions, always wear your seat belt, and double the space you leave between you and the next vehicle.
  • Give snow plows plenty of room. Remember that a salt spreader attached to the back of the truck is most likely distributing material as the truck moves along a route.

MoDOT’s Traverler Information Map is updated in real time around the clock at www.modot.org, giving an updated view of weather-related road conditions for major Missouri highways, whether a highway is closed, covered, partly covered, mostly clear or clear. Motorists can also call MoDOT’s customer service center for road conditions at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636), where a live person answers the phone 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Filed Under: News, Transportation, Travel, Weather

Highway Patrol: Slow down in winter weather, turn lights on

December 6, 2011 By

Many Missourians awoke to find snow falling or in the weather forecast today, says the Patrol, and winter weather calls for drivers to make adjustments.

Photo courtesy Dusty Hoffman

In a press release issued today, the Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages motorists to plan ahead and drive safely or not at all during inclement weather; allow extra driving time for you to reach your destination at a slow, safe speed. Make sure the windows are completely cleared to ensure visibility.

Remember: Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on. It takes only a second to turn on your vehicle’s headlights. That second could make you more visible to other drivers and prevent a traffic crash.

The Patrol points to state law that states lighted lamps are required “from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead.”

Photo courtesy Dusty Hoffman

Troopers also urge motorists to winterize your vehicle if you haven’t already done so by having a mechanic check the battery, heater, defroster, lights, hoses, belts, brakes, oil, tires, wipers, and fluid levels.

“Before you travel, gather an ice scraper, tire chains, battery booster cables, blankets, flashlight, and a bag of sand to place in your trunk,” the Patrol says. “Emergencies cannot be predicted, but planning for them can help you if one should arise. Missouri’s Road Condition Report (1-800-222-6400) can help you plan your route–before you leave. This number gives an automated listing of road conditions throughout the state.” 

Photo courtesy Dusty Hoffman

Safer driving

The Patrol issues the following guidelines:

When inclement weather hits, please adjust how you drive so that you continue to “exercise the highest degree of care”. For instance: Stopping quickly in the winter on snow-covered or icy roads is next to impossible.

Use care by increasing your following distance as you drive.  Increase your following distance to five seconds or more. Section 304.012 RSMo. directs motorists to exercise the highest degree of care on Missouri’s roadways.

This part of Missouri law states, “Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care.”

Ask yourself if the speed you’re traveling is safe for the weather conditions. Slow down when driving in snow or on ice. Driving the speed limit may not be “exercising the highest degree of care” during inclement weather; driving over the speed limit never is.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is here to serve and protect. If you become stranded or see another vehicle stranded on the side of the road with passengers, please call the Missouri State Highway Patrol emergency number at 1-800-525-5555 or dial *55 on a cellular phone. These numbers ring at the nearest troop headquarters.

Planning ahead and being a courteous driver are important every day.  In winter driving conditions, this becomes crucial. Please slow down, pay attention, and wear your seat belt.

Filed Under: News, Transportation, Travel, Weather
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