NEWS RELEASE



For further information please contact:

Captain C.T. Ricks

(573) 526-6115

Q7066

July 20, 2006



EMPHASIS: Reduction in Traffic Deaths



Colonel Roger D. Stottlemyre, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol announced today the statewide traffic death totals are at a 17 percent decrease when compared to the traffic death toll for the same period in 2005. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is the central repository for the Statewide Traffic Reporting System (STARS), as well as the Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS).



Missouri traffic deaths have been at a decrease since the beginning of 2006. “It is difficult to determine a single reason for the decrease,” stated Colonel Stottlemyre, “but the three Es, (Enforcement, Education, and Engineering), play a major role in traffic safety.”



The Patrol, along with many other city and county law enforcement agencies, have continued strictly enforcing speed, DWI, and seat belt laws, along with those violations constituting aggressive driving behavior. The Patrol itself has increased the number of Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs (S.T.E.P.), which target a variety of different traffic violations. In addition, the Patrol has increased the number of sobriety checkpoints. Driver inattention and speeding continue to be the top two contributing circumstances to traffic crashes in Missouri. Participation in national enforcement and media campaigns by all law enforcement, along with local campaigns, has gone a long way in educating the public on issues dealing with driving safety and strict enforcement.

“The hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Missouri State Highway Patrol has without a doubt contributed to the decrease in our traffic fatalities,” said Colonel Stottlemyre. “This has been a record year for the number of work zones in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has been working diligently to make our roads smoother, safer, and more user friendly for motorists.”



Law enforcement has been able to increase its presence in highway work zones this year with the assistance of overtime funding grants from the Highway Safety Office of MoDOT. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and the Blueprint Coalition, which are made up of safety advocates from various agencies and organizations from around the state, have contributed to the ongoing effort of public education and law enforcement’s ability to organize and fund special projects. The ability of drivers to plan travel around work or construction zones has no doubt made planning and traveling less stressful. MoDOT’s Internet web site (www.modot.mo.gov) indicates statewide work zone locations, detours, and possible delays in those areas. MoDOT continues to study traffic patterns and accident reports to make engineering changes and upgrades to coincide with changes in urban and rural population and traffic patterns.

There was a slight decrease in the number of traffic deaths for the first holiday counting period in 2006. There were 10 people killed during the 2006 Memorial Day holiday counting period compared to 11 killed in 2005. One more death was recorded this year during the July Fourth holiday counting period with eight persons killed in 2006, compared to seven who were killed in 2005. Due to July Fourth falling on a Tuesday this year, an additional day--Monday July 3--was added to the counting period making it a four-day counting period. The 2005 counting period included three days.



Colonel Stottlemyre reminds motorists, “While the current numbers reflect a significant reduction in traffic deaths, we still have the remaining summer vacation period, three major holiday periods, and several seasonal weather changes before the end of the year. Please drive with care every time you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, follow all the traffic laws, buckle up, and never drive after you’ve been drinking. The life you save might be yours ... or the life of a loved one.”