MoDOT Reminds Drivers to Be Safe During Holiday Weekend

After months of quarantine, the Fourth of July will find many hitting the road for some holiday weekend fun.

While noted as one of the busiest summer holidays, it’s also one of the deadliest due to increased travel and substance-impaired drivers.

MoDOT highway safety and traffic engineer Nicole Hood says in 2019, law enforcement made 93 substance-impaired driving related arrests during the Fourth of July impaired driving campaign across the state.

There were 15 people killed and 58 seriously injured in traffic crashes in Missouri over the 2019 July Fourth holiday.

Of the 73 people killed or injured, 18 were involved in a crash where there was at least one substance-impaired driver.

The 15 fatalities included three motorcyclists, one ATV occupant and 11 vehicle occupants, with 80% of the 11 vehicle occupants being unbuckled.

Of the fifty-eight serious injuries included two pedestrians, 11 motorcyclists and 45 vehicle occupants with 65% being unbelted.