Highway Patrol Urging Safety For Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to summer, and with a year of pandemic lockdowns behind us, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is anticipating a large amount of activity on the states highways and waterways.
In anticipation of the busy traveling weekend Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Colonel Eric T. Olson has announced the Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during the long holiday weekend. This means every available trooper will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists.
Over the 2020 Memorial Day holiday weekend, 10 people died and 444 were injured in 1,081 traffic crashes. Last year, troopers made 118 DWI arrests.
On the water during the 2020 Memorial Day weekend, there were 11 boating crashes which included one fatality and seven injuries. One person drowned over last year’s holiday weekend. Troopers arrested 11 people for boating while intoxicated.
This year’s counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6 p.m., Friday, May 28, and ends at 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 31, 2021. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, impaired drivers, hazardous moving violations, and speed violations.
Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.
