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Missouri traffic fatalities up in 2020, despite large drop in traffic due to COVID-19 (AUDIO)

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While passenger traffic in Missouri has plummeted due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Missouri state troopers say there’s been a three percent increase in traffic fatalities for the year.

A Missouri state trooper’s radar clocks a motorist driving 93 miles-per-hour in northern Missouri’s Troop B in March 2020 (photo courtesy of Missouri State Highway Patrol headquarters)

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz says passenger traffic is down 47 percent statewide since March 13. Captain Hotz and the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) say passenger traffic in both the Kansas City and St. Louis areas is down 49 percent in the past month.

Click below to see the Highway Patrol report.

Traffic Changes due to COVID-19

“It is alarming when you see the significant reduction in traffic and yet we’re still having the same number of fatal crashes, or even a little bit more than what had we had last year,” Hotz says.

There have been 174 traffic fatalities statewide in 2020, compared to 168 at this time last year.

You’ll notice additional Missouri state troopers on the road, increasing enforcement to stop the rising number of traffic fatalities. Hotz says motorists driving 90-miles-per-hour is “unfortunately becoming commonplace.”

“Now we (the Highway Patrol) are practicing social distancing just like everyone else, but in the end we have a job to do,” says Hotz. “And if we have people that are out there endangering themselves or others, we’re going to take enforcement action on that.”

And he warns motorists that increasing speeds increases the likelihood of serious injuries or death.

“We know the faster that you’re going when you have a traffic crash, the more severe that crash is going to be. There’s just no way around it, we can’t cheat the laws of physics,” Hotz says.

Captain Hotz tells Missourinet that three MoDOT trucks have been struck by motorists in the past week, despite the falling traffic volumes.

There were 879 traffic fatalities in Missouri in 2019.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz, which was recorded on April 2, 2020:

Copyright © 2020 · Missourinet

Seven killed on Missouri roads over Labor Day weekend, no drownings or boating fatalities

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The Highway Patrol reports seven people were killed on Missouri roads over the Labor Day weekend. That’s even with last year, when seven people died in car accidents over the holiday. Two of the highway fatalities were motorcyclists.

Troopers investigated 248 crashes … 112 people suffered injuries, that number is down from last year. The Patrol reports arresting 119 people for drunk driving, which is also down from 147 last year.  In 2012, troopers investigated 201 crashes, which included 144 injuries and four of the seven fatalities.

Good news on the waterways though were no boating fatalities or drownings have been reported. The Water Patrol did investigate nine boating crashes, injuring seven, and arrested 14 people for boating while intoxicated. During the 2012 Labor Day weekend, officers investigated three boating crashes, which included one injury and no fatalities. One person drowned and seven people were arrested for boating while intoxicated during last year’s Labor Day weekend.

The 2013 counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 30, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, Sept. 2.

Of the five traffic crash fatalities troopers investigated, three occurred in the Troop D, Springfield area, and one each occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring area, and the Troop F, Jefferson City.

There were no fatalities on Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, during the counting period.

Three fatalities occurred on Saturday, Aug. 31. Justin M. Rohe, 25, of St. Charles died when he failed to stop at a red signal and struck the rear passenger side of a vehicle making a left turn. Rohe was ejected from the motorcycle he was driving. The crash occurred at the intersection of Mid Rivers Mall Drive and Ohmes Road in St. Charles County. St. Charles County emergency medical services pronounced Rohe dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured in the crash.

Dalton W. Coe, 15, of Seneca died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger crossed the centerline and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle then left the roadway, overturned, and struck a tree. Newton County Deputy Coroner Brian Artherton pronounced Coe dead at the scene. The driver and another passenger sustained moderate injuries. All three of the vehicle’s occupants were wearing seat belts. The crash occurred on Gum Road south of Joplin, in Newton County.

The St. Louis Police Department is investigating the remaining fatality on Aug. 31 — no further details are available.

One person died on Sunday, Sept. 1. Brandan A. Evans, 18, of Bronaugh died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the left side of the roadway, overturned several times, and came to rest on its tires. Evans was not wearing a seat belt and was partially ejected from the vehicle. Dr. Tiffany Batiste, Freeman West Hospital, Joplin, pronounced Evans dead at the hospital. The crash occurred on Missouri Route BB, one mile south of Nevada, Vernon County. The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.

Three fatalities occurred on the Labor Day holiday, Monday, Sept. 2. Beth W. Adamson, 50, of Wichita, Kan., died when the driver of the vehicle in which she was a passenger failed to stop at a stop sign. The Adamson vehicle was then struck broadside. Dr. Buchele, Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, pronounced Adamson dead at the hospital. Both the driver and Adamson were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; the driver sustained minor injuries. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries; he was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred 10 miles north of Joplin on Missouri Highway 43 in Jasper County.

Melissa K. Crossland, 45, of Richland died when the driver of the vehicle in which she was a passenger failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle then traveled off the right side of the road, struck a tree, and overturned. Neither the driver nor Crossland were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Camden County Medical Examiner Jaimie Wheat pronounced Crossland dead at the scene. The driver sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Camden County on Missouri Route A east of Seven Springs Road.

The Ste. Genevieve Police Department is investigating the remaining fatality for Monday, Sept. 2. No further details are available.

The patrol says the fatality statistics reported today could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatal traffic/boating crashes after the numbers were released, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than traffic/boating incident.

Seventeen road fatalities, three drownings over July 4 weekend

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 17 people died in traffic crashes during the 2013 July Fourth holiday counting period. The counting period began at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 3, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 8.

State troopers worked 358 traffic crashes in which 13 people died and 157 were injured. The Columbia Police Department worked one fatality crash; St. Louis City Police Department worked a triple fatality crash. Troopers arrested 199 people for driving while intoxicated during this year’s 102-hour holiday counting period.

Those numbers are way up from last year, when troopers worked 99 traffic crashes in which three people died and 45 were injured. Troopers arrested 59 people for driving while intoxicated last year. Statewide, in 2012, there were 385 traffic crashes, in which four people died and 194 were injured.

The Patrol points out that numbers were likely to be higher this year since the counting period was more than three times longer. This year’s counting period and enforcement efforts stretched over four days since July 4 fell on a Thursday.

No fatalities occurred on Wednesday, July 3. Seven fatalities occurred on Thursday, July 4.

  • Timothy R. Panzar, 25, of St. Robert, died when the all-terrain vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, became airborne, struck a tree, and overturned. The ATV then came to rest in the Big Piney River. Panzar and a passenger were ejected into the river. Pulaski County Coroner Mikel Hartness pronounced Panzar dead. The passenger sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Pulaski County on Hartford Road north of Missouri Highway 28.
  • Kathleen M. Gentner, 72, of Macon, died when she attempted to drive her vehicle across U.S. Highway 36 and was struck in the driver’s side door by an eastbound vehicle. It is unknown whether or not Gentner was wearing a seat belt. Macon County Coroner Brian Hayes pronounced Gentner dead at the scene. The driver and two passengers in the second vehicle sustained minor or moderate injuries. The crash occurred in Macon County on U.S. Highway 36 at Kellogg Avenue.
  • Jason A. Rittermeyer, 32, of Archie, died when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving after the vehicle traveled off the right edge of the roadway. The vehicle returned to the roadway, skidded sideways across the highway, and was struck in the passenger door. Both vehicles came to rest off the south side of the roadway. Rittermeyer was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. In addition to Jason Rittermeyer, Noah Rittermeyer, 10, Sage Rittermeyer, 9, Anna Rittermeyer, 8, all of Archie, and Aleah M. Lucas, 22, of Olathe, Kansas, also died in the crash. Noah was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Sage was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Lucas was not wearing a seat belt; she was ejected from the vehicle. It is unknown whether or not Anna was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Jackson County Medical Examiner pronounced all fatalities deceased. The driver of the second vehicle sustained minor injuries; he was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Cass County on Missouri Route B at Cantrell Road.

Two people died in traffic crashes on Friday, July 5, 2013.

  • Tracy L. Adams, 45, of Wright City, died when the vehicle she was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, she overcorrected the vehicle, returned to the roadway and began to rotate counterclockwise. The vehicle then slid off the road, struck a shallow ditch, and overturned. Adams was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; she was partially ejected and came to rest under the vehicle. Warren County Coroner Roger Mauzy pronounced Adams deceased. The crash occurred in Warren County on Westwoods Road east of North Strack Church Road.
  • Elizabeth Baylark, 79, of St. Louis, died after she suffered a medical condition and lost control of the vehicle she was driving. Her vehicle then traveled off the roadway and struck a pedestrian at a bus stop bench. Baylark was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Dr. Fulkert at DePaul Hospital pronounced Baylark dead. The pedestrian suffered moderate injuries in the crash. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Missouri Highway 180 east of McKelvey Road.

Six people died in traffic crashes on Saturday, July 6, 2013.

  • Brenda L. Richards, 44, of Washington, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the right side of the roadway, she overcorrected causing the vehicle to travel across the roadway and into the median where it overturned. Richards was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Deputy Coroner Woodward pronounced Richards dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Jasper County on Interstate 44, four miles east of Carthage.
  • Brandon M. Blankenship, 24, of St. Charles, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger failed to negotiate a curve to the left, traveled off the right side of the roadway, overturned several times, and struck several trees. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash. Blankenship was not wearing a seatbelt. Deputy Coroner Steve Hatfield pronounced Blankenship dead. The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash; she was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Washington County on Missouri Highway 21 at Missouri Route C.
  • Joseph B. Stamey, 26, of Belton, died when the all-terrain vehicle he was driving skidded off the roadway and struck a tree. Stamey was ejected. Both the vehicle and Stamey came to rest in the roadway. Ozark County Coroner Shane Ledbetter pronounced Stamey dead. The crash occurred in Ozark County on County Road 529 west of Missouri Route J.
  • Lydell Templeton, 43, of St. Louis, died when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving. The vehicle then collided with the median and overturned several times before catching fire. In addition to Lydell Templeton, Michael J. Helm, 20, of St. Louis, and Tyrone Cain II, 40, address unknown, died in the crash. Two additional passengers sustained serious injuries. Seatbelt information is unknown. Four of the five occupants were ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in St. Louis County near the Highway 40/Interstate 64 interchange at Kingshighway. St. Louis City Police Department investigated the crash.

Two people died on Sunday, July 7, 2013.

  • Michael S. Mann, 40, of High Ridge, died when the motorcycle he was driving failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle began to skid and struck a second vehicle. Dr. Olsen at St. Anthony’s Hospital pronounced Mann dead. The driver of the vehicle that struck Mann’s motorcycle was not injured in the crash. The crash occurred in Jefferson County on High Ridge Boulevard east of Antire Road.
  • Brandon E. Bainter, 29, of Quincy, Ill., died when he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving and collided with a utility pole. Bainter was ejected. The crash occurred in Boone County at the intersection of West Broadway Street and Westwood Avenue in Columbia. The Columbia Police Department investigated the crash.

Three people drowned on Missouri waterways. Two people drowned on July 4, at Smithville Lake in Clinton County.

  • The body of John S. Butts, 55, of Smithville, was recovered on July 5, 2013 near Smithville Lake Access 14. The body was taken to Frontier Forensic in Kansas City; the investigation continues.
  • The body of Gregory E. Weese, age unknown, of Plattsburg, was recovered on July 5, 2013, near the Smithville Lake Access 14. His body was also taken to Frontier Forensic in Kansas City.

One person drowned on Friday, July 5.

  • The incident occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, area. The investigation continues. Identification has not been released.

There were zero boating fatalities over the 2013 July Fourth counting period. Troopers investigated 17 boating crashes involving 11 injuries.

Troopers also arrested 17 people for boating while intoxicated over the holiday counting period. During the 2012 July Fourth weekend, officers investigated six boating crashes, which included two injuries and no fatalities. One person drowned, two people were electrocuted, and seven people were arrested for boating while intoxicated during last year’s July Fourth weekend.

The Patrol says fatality statistics may change if someone dies from their injuries or if other law enforcement departments report fatal traffic crashes after today’s press release was sent out, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than traffic incident.

The Patrol posts all accident details on its website, click  HERE.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (:65)

Highway safety group sets new goal for reducing Missouri fatalities

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The Coalition for Roadway Safety has a new four-year plan and a new goal for reducing highway fatalities in the state.

Click the link to view the updated Blueprint to Save More Lives (pdf).

The Coalition has set two goals in the past and both of those have been reached, most recently seeing the number of traffic fatalities annually in Missouri drop below 850 in 2010, two years earlier than the Coalition’s target. The new mark is to be at 700 or fewer, by 2016.

Department of Transportation Highway Safety Director Leanna Depue explains how the Coalition arrived at that figure.

“We look at our progress through the various years. We look at strategies that we think have opportunity to save more lives, we do some estimating about how many lives the various strategies would result in (saving), and then we identify a goal which we think would be challenging for us and yet we know that as a state if we’re able to implement our strategic highway safety plan, we should be able to reach.”

The plan includes the “Necessary Nine;” nine steps the Coalition recommends toward meeting that goal.

They include increasing use of seatbelts and the passage of a primary seat belt law, which would allow law enforcement to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt. Currently, law enforcement can ticket drivers who aren’t wearing seat belts, but can not pull them over for it.

A new goal is to change traffic safety culture. “We’re really wanting people to make good decisions because it’s just part of their every day operation,” Depue explains, “Not being motivated by a law enforcement officer or some other outside stimulus. We want them to just internally want to be safe.”

The other steps are: expand the installation of rumble strips, increase efforts to reduce the number of substance-impared vehicle drivers and motorcycle operators, improve intersection safety, improve curve safety, improve roadway shoulders, increase enforcement efforts and expand and improve roadway visibility.

The Highway Patrol thinks getting to fewer than 700 highway fatalities in four years is attainable. Spokesman, Lieutenant John Hotz says, “While 700 sounds like a pretty high number, we’re working towards the overall goal of zero deaths. We know that last year was the first time since 1949 that we had actually seen fewer than 800 traffic fatalities on Missouri roadways, so we’re going to continue to do everything we can to work with MODOT and the other partners with the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.”

Fatalities for the year in Missouri are up about 6 percent over last year, 684 by Tuesday compared to 641 by the same date in 2011. Hotz says after being dramatically higher earlier in the year, the increase has leveled off.

“We did have a mild winter and there were certainly more traffic deaths in the early part of the year … we’ve seen those numbers go down. They were as high as the 30 percent range in the spring.”

Between January and March, 59 more people died on Missouri highways than during the same period in 2011.