The Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging caution during the Fourth of July holiday.
Last year, 12 persons were killed and 840 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,669 traffic crashes. One person was killed or injured every 7.2 minutes. Troopers arrested 165 people for driving while intoxicated in 2006. Over the past five years, 74 people have been killed and 3,664 have been injured in traffic crashes on Missouri’s roadways over July Fourth holidays. The 2007 counting period for the July Fourth holiday will be from 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 3, to 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, July 4.
The highway patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) over the holiday. 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 800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.
“July Fourth is a time to celebrate the freedoms we have in this great country,” said Colonel James F. Keathley, superintendent of the highway patrol. “If you’re driving to see friends or family, please think safety, obey all traffic laws and pay attention to the traffic around you. One second of inattention is all it takes for a traffic crash to occur. If your celebration includes alcohol, don’t drive.”