July 19, 2013

By Claudia Guthrie

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 16 percent decrease in fatalities this year compared to 2012.

“I am very pleased with the reduction of fatal traffic crashes in Missouri this year,” MSHP Superintendent Colonel Ron Replogle said. “Every trooper is committed to working with other agencies to further reduce the number of traffic deaths in our state.”

Enforcement and education have been key factors in contributing to the reduction of traffic fatalities, along with engineering and better emergency medical services, said Lieutenant John J. Hotz, MSHP assistant director of the Public Information and Education Division.

“Every day we are out there vigorously enforcing the traffic laws and also trying to educate motorists about the dangers of drunk driving and speeding driving and inattentive driving and also about the importance of seat belt use,” Hotz said. “So that’s a priority of the Missouri Highway Patrol, to enforce traffic laws and promote safety on the highways. So if we do that every day, then those numbers will continue to decrease.”

The 16 percent decline of traffic deaths follows the rise of fatalities that occurred in 2012.

“We had a steady decrease in traffic fatalities for five years, and then last year was the first year it had actually gone up,” Hotz said. “Our goal every year is for those numbers to go down and we’re committed to seeing those numbers continue to go down and to work towards a day where we have zero traffic fatalities on our high way.”

The Public Information and Education Division provides educational programs throughout the state of Missouri on safe driving. Missouri drivers are encouraged to obey the speed limit, follow the traffic laws, pay attention when driving, avoid drinking and driving, and make sure everyone is properly restrained with seat belts in order for the number of deaths to continue to decline in the future, Hotz said.

“I think ultimately it comes down to the individual person who is driving their car,” Hotz said. “Ultimately they’re determining whether or not they’re involved in traffic crashes.”