Authorities will be out in force over the Fourth of July weekend looking for speeders, drunk drivers and other unsafe motorists in an effort aimed at preventing car accidents in St. Louis and throughout Missouri.
The News Tribune reports that Missouri ranks sixth on a nationwide list of states with the most speeding tickets.
"If our officers see an infraction, they will write a ticket," said Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Tim Hull. "We are currently experiencing a 15 percent decrease in traffic fatalities, and I think that's due in combination with increased enforcement and public education."
The Missouri Highway Patrol is also urging residents to:
-Practice all-terrain safety to avoid Missouri ATV accidents.
-Obey the law and use headlights when windshield wipers are on.
-Move over and slow down for stopped emergency vehicles.
While New Year's gets the majority of attention when it comes to drunk driving and the high risk of car accidents, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July have been the deadliest holidays on the nation's roads in recent years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Nationwide Holiday Traffic Fatalities 2008:
New Year's Day: 104
Memorial Day: 370
Fourth of July: 437
Labor Day: 423
Thanksgiving: 439
Christmas: 364
New Year's Eve: 37
Holiday traffic fatalities in Missouri in 2008:
New Year's: 6
Memorial Day: 10
Fourth of July: 7
Labor Day: 6
Thanksgiving: 12
Christmas: 12
If you have been injured in a Missouri car accident, contact St. Louis Injury Lawyer Ryan R. Cox for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 636-946-6886.
