December 29, 2025
Q122925

EMPHASIS: Ring In The New Year Safely

Colonel Michael A. Turner, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to make good decisions regarding their New Year’s celebration. No one wants to start 2026 with a traffic crash or DWI arrest. During the 2024-2025 New Year’s period, one person was killed and 118 injured in 264 traffic crashes in Missouri.

The 2026 New Year’s holiday counting period begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

If your plans to welcome the new year include alcohol, please designate a sober driver or utilize a ride share service or taxi to ensure you arrive home safely. The roadway is no place for a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you plan to travel this New Year’s, remember to buckle up and make sure all your passengers do the same. Remember: Missouri is now a hands-free state. Pay attention, obey all traffic laws, and when in doubt, yield the right-of-way. Due to ongoing road construction throughout the state, the Patrol suggests that travelers use the MoDOT Traveler Information Map to plan their travel days. The map provides up-to-date information such as road closures, delays, construction zones, and alternative routes. You can download the app for free to your smart device or access it here.Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on.

The public is encouraged to call the Patrol's Emergency Assistance Number 800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency. These emergency numbers are operational for both highway and water emergencies. We're here to help.

Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ