The Missouri State Highway Patrol urges you to be rested and to check your vehicle before heading out for the Christmas holiday.
Missouri Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz urges everyone to be as safe as possible. Hotz notes there were 1,070 traffic crashes during the 2015 Christmas counting period. In those crashes, five people were killed and another 363 were injured.
“So roughly, someone was injured or killed in a traffic crash over the 2015 holiday period about every 12.7 minutes,” Hotz says.
The 2016 Christmas holiday counting period begins Friday December 23 at 6 p.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 26.
Captain Hotz says there will be additional state troopers on the road all weekend.
“Make sure your vehicle is in good condition. Check your forecast and the weather conditions, just in case there may be a possibility of some dangerous driving conditions out there,” Hotz says.
Hotz also tells Missourinet that there’s an increase in impaired driving during the holidays.
“And so we simply ask people if alcohol is going to be a part of your celebration to, of course don’t drive, and figure out how you’re doing to get home before you start drinking,” says Hotz.
If you face a traffic emergency, you call call the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cell phone.
You can find detailed road information on modot.org, and those without internet can call 1-888-275-6636.