Col. J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages motorists to include safety in their plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Traffic patterns are expected to be affected by holiday travel for Thanksgiving.
Drivers are asked to obey traffic laws, be courteous and wear seat belts. Drivers also are asked to pay attention by leaving the the cell phone alone and using a designated driver if drinking alcohol.
The counting period for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29.
During the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 18 people were killed and another 469 were injured in 1,151 traffic crashes. That means traffic crashes killed or injured one person every 12.6 minutes in Missouri over last year's Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Approximately 63 percent of Missouri fatal crash victims who are required to be restrained are not at the time of the traffic crash.
The patrol will participate in Operation C.A.R.E (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) during this Thanksgiving holiday weekend. All available troopers will be assigned to Missouri roads to enforce traffic laws, especially those related to drunk driving, driving over the speed limit, and seat belt/child restraint use.
Troopers will also be assisting motorists as needed.
Over the past several years, the Patrol has used special traffic enforcement projects to further their efforts to decrease traffic crashes and fatalities. This Thanksgiving weekend will include such an
A special enforcement project Nov. 25 and Nov. 29 will assign troopers at 20-mile intervals along Interstates 35, 44, 55 and 70, as well as U.S. Highways 60 and 63.
The patrol's emergency assistance number is 800-525-5555 or *55 on a mobile phone.