Missouri State Highway Patrol blames weather for accidents

Drivers face dangerous road conditions during winter months.

By Austin Alonzo

Published Jan. 26, 2009

As winter tightens its grip on Columbia and the surrounding areas, drivers are facing dangerously slick roads and finding themselves more likely to get into accidents.

Missouri State Highway Patrol officers have already seen six traffic fatalities this year compared to seven at this time last year.

Officers also saw a higher number of fatalities in 2008 than in 2007. There were 106 deaths in 2008 compared to 104 deaths in 2007, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Web site.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Paul Reinsch said most accidents happen in rural areas, rather than on busier highways such as Interstate 70 or U.S. Highway 63.

"What we are trying to do is concentrate a lot of our enforcement efforts on those areas and trying to get those numbers down," Reinsch said.

Reinsch blames most accidents on a mix of bad weather and a lack of awareness.

"Ultimately, it's up to each individual to give their utmost attention to their driving," Reinsch said.

"Unfortunately, there is a lot of things that distract the person while they're driving, while they're going down the road."

Reinsch recommended that drivers pay attention, obey all the traffic laws and concentrate on the road.

In Columbia, weather plays a larger role in the stop-and-go traffic drivers face every day.

Columbia Police Department Capt. Zim Schwartze said slick roads would contribute to a few more minor accidents than the department usually sees.

Most students were out of the city during late December and early January, but the numbers of accidents stayed fairly constant.

"College students tend to crash all year long, so it's not just college students," Schwartze said.

CPD will compile its annual traffic data this week and release full statistics on crashes and other traffic incidents next week.