MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
A Division Of The
Department of Public Safety
Public Information and Education Division-PO Box 568-Jefferson City, MO 65102

NEWS RELEASE

For further information please contact: Capt. J. Tim Hull
Q12097 (573) 526-6115

December 21, 2009
EMPHASIS: Bring In The New Year Safely!

The New Year’s holiday is a time to celebrate 2009 and an opportunity to bring in 2010 in a positive, safe way. The Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages everyone to make good decisions regarding their holiday celebration. If the weather is bad, allow extra time for traveling or be flexible with your plans. Staying home might be safer. If you do plan to drive to a New Year’s gathering, remember to buckle up and obey all traffic laws.
Also, if your plans include alcohol, choose a designated driver. Getting arrested could be the least of your concerns. There are court costs, medical bills, or perhaps jail time. If you kill or injure someone, you’ll pay a price for the rest of your life. The highway is no place for a driver who has been drinking. No one wants to begin 2010 in jail.
During the New Year’s traffic crash counting period from 6 p.m., Thursday, December 31, 2009 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 3, 2010, all available officers will be on the roadways. Last year, 1,183 traffic crashes occurred in Missouri over the New Year’s holiday weekend. In those crashes 24 people were killed and 441 were injured.
“On behalf of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, I wish each of you a happy and safe new year,” said Colonel James F. Keathley, superintendent of the Patrol.


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