NCJ Number
189672
Date Published
2000
Length
146 pages
Annotation
The report provides historical data encompassing the last 5 years of Missouri’s holiday traffic crash experience with emphasis on the latest year (2000).
Abstract
Data used in this study was from the Missouri Statewide Traffic Accident Records System (STARS). Missouri traffic safety authorities recognize holidays are an especially hazardous time for the driving public. Reasons for this are that travel patterns change during these time periods, persons take long trips at the beginning and end of holidays, and the volume of traffic having high speed limits dramatically increases creating and magnifying congestion on these roadways. Also, recreational activities increase over holiday periods along with the consumption of alcoholic beverages as well as other types of intoxicants. From 1996 through 2000, one person was killed in a traffic crash every 7.6 hours in the State of Missouri. Over the holidays, one person was killed every 6.5 hours during the same five-year period. A total of 380 persons were killed over these holidays and 20,409 were injured. The Labor Day holiday had more fatalities than Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays from 1996 through 2000 and in the year 2000. The most injuries occurred over the Fourth of July holiday from 1996 through 2000 and in the year 2000. Missouri law enforcement agencies and other traffic safety authorities take special precautions aimed at reducing holiday traffic crash levels as well as their severity. Law enforcement agencies direct their forces to those roadways having inordinate amounts of holiday traffic. Many agencies conduct media campaigns to alert the public to the increased driving hazards they may experience over the holidays. Tables.