The Missouri State Highway Patrol urges safety when planning activities for Labor Day weekend, including seat belts in vehicles and life jackets in lakes, rivers or streams.
In 2011, 13 people were killed and 443 injured in Missouri over the Labor Day holiday in 952 traffic crashes. One person was killed or injured every 10.3 minutes. Of that total, troopers worked 298 traffic crashes, which included 171 injuries and nine of the fatalities over the 2011 Labor Day holiday. Troopers arrested 175 people for driving while intoxicated during last year’s holiday weekend.
The patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) over the Labor Day holiday weekend. All available officers will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt and alcohol laws, in addition to being available to assist motorists.
Motorists who need assistance or who witness criminal activity while traveling on Missouri’s roadways can contact the nearest highway patrol troop headquarters by calling the Patrol Emergency Report Line at 800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.
Col. Ronald Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds the public that the Labor Day holiday also is a busy boating weekend. Two people died and 10 were injured in seven boating crashes during the 2011 Labor Day holiday. In an effort to increase safety on state’s waters, all available officers will be working over the holiday weekend. Missouri’s boaters are asked to do their part by remaining alert for other watercraft, skiers and swimmers, and being courteous on the water.
The patrol says if you choose to drink alcohol, don’t operate a vessel. Alcohol consumption slows reaction time. Pay attention to the boats around you, and ask your passengers to assist with this. Evasive maneuvers should be made early and deliberately. Check your vessel’s navigation lights before heading out at night, and be sure to have spare bulbs on board. Avoid overloading your boat with too many passengers, and observe Missouri’s nighttime speed limit of 30 miles per hour on the water.
“The patrol encourages everyone to make safety a part of their plans for the Labor Day holiday,” said Replogle. “Enjoy the last big weekend of summer, but please don’t become a statistic. Remember to buckle up in your vehicle and wear a life jacket when on or near water. If your celebration includes alcohol, designate someone else to drive, whether you are in your boat or your car.”