Reflections from this Week's Fatality Report

Central Region for Missouri's Coalition for Roadway Safety has a seen a dramatic reduction in fatalities this year.

So far, 26 people have died in Central Missouri using Missouri's highways, and roads.  Last year, 35 people had lost their lives in the Central Region.

Are the numbers going up or down?

It is 9 fewer than last year at this time. This is a 26% reduction when compared to last year.

How do we compare with the rest of the state?

The Coalition has 10 regions. Central Region has the second highest number of fatalities at 26. Only the St. Louis region has had more people killed.

Were they wearing their safety belts?

6 out of the 10 fatalities were not wearing a safety belt. Last year, it was closer to 8 out 10.

What is the deadliest day of the week?

It is a tie between Saturday and Wednesday at 5 each.

What about young drivers and passengers?

5 out of the 26 killed were between the ages of 15 and 20. Three of these were not wearing a safety belt. One involved a motorcycle. We also had 1 infant so far.

Multiple fatalities crashes?

All of the crashes this year have only had a single fatality. Last year, we had 4 crashes with multiple deaths. Most of these had 2 fatalities, but we had one with 3 fatalities.

Where have they occurred?

 

U.S. Numbered highways had the most at 9. County roads and city streets were next at 7.

This was followed by State Lettered routes and then by Missouri Numbered routes.

Last year, U.S. Numbered highways had the least number of deaths.

What about alcohol and drugs?

 

Four of the fatalities involved some sort of impairment. 19% of the fatalities that occurred across the state involved an impaired driver, while in Central Region, the percentage of impaired drivers is 15%.

What about the counties?

Last year, I was pulling for Gasconade to be the county without a fatality, but that didn't happen.

This year, Morgan and Moniteau counties are in the running with zero fatalities so far. Something to watch as the year continues.

Our biggest concern is Pettis county which is experiencing a large increase this year. They have had 6 fatalities to date. Last year, they only had 1.

Benton, Cole, Gasconade, and Maries are counties who are experiencing a higher number of fatalities over last year.

This also means that our biggest counties are seeing a decrease. These are Boone, Callaway, Camden, and Miller.

What is Matt's View?

I have to say this is not just about the numbers. There are 26 families trying to work through this time in their lives the best they can.

It is encouraging to know that we are seeing a large reduction so far this year. We even have a few counties that could have zero fatalities.

But, there is still work to be done. Out of the 10 regions, the Central Region usually has enough fatalities to be the second or third worst region in the state.

We need to keep reminding ourselves and others to emphasize and practices what works:

Wear a safety belt, drive sober, leave cell phone down, and stay attentive.

Thanks for reading, M

The Day Started Off Just Like Any Other Day

Sixteen-year old Jessica of Osage County was involved in a roll-over crash in Oct. 2009. She credits her seat belt for saving her from serious injury or death. The following is Jessica's story in her own words...

The day started off just like any other day. I was going to my aunt's house so I could put her kids on the bus. So I got out of bed, took a shower, and got ready. I was supposed to be there at 6:15 that morning, but I was running a little late and didn't leave my house until 6:06 a.m.

As I was driving Highway 63 I approached a big curve. I went over the center line and freaked out because I thought a car was going to come around the curve. So, I jerked the wheel back over. I went too far over the white line and into the gravel. I jerked the wheel trying to get out of it and overcorrected my vehicle. After that, it felt like a really weird dream. I went down a huge embankment. There was dirt and glass flying everywhere. The only thing I could do was scream; so I did the entire way down and as a result, I had dirt in my teeth and down my throat.

I kept asking myself if this was really happening to me. I seriously thought that my life was over. The car kept flipping over and over until I hit another tree and stopped. The air bag shot out of the steering wheel and jerked me back.

If it wouldn't have been for the seat belt, they would've been looking for me. I'm really lucky that I didn't get hurt or even killed. The only thing I got from it was burn on my chin from the air bag, and that only lasted about two weeks.

-- Jessica

Child Passenger Safety – Forming A Habit That Just Makes Sense

I have a little girl and she is my “everything!” I would do anything to protect her from harm. As she grows, it is my job to help her form habits she can use to protect herself.

From the time she was a baby I always used the proper child safety seat to make sure she was properly restrained in my car. And, as she grew, I adjusted and changed the safety seat to match her height and weight.

You can learn more about the proper safety seat for your child by accessing this link.

Now, my daughter no longer needs a booster seat, but she understands how important it is to buckle her seat belt. Every time we get into the car, I say, “buckle” before we head out. She does so with ease, and truthfully, without even thinking about it. It’s just a habit now and a really good one.

I hope we’re not involved in a crash. But, I’m glad to know the seat belt is being worn just in case we are. Wearing a seat belt is so easy to do and can save your life or the life of someone you love. It just makes sense. Like I said, she is my “everything” and she is worth it.

If you have questions or comments about child passenger safety or the requirements in Missouri, please let me know.


Child Passenger Safety Week is coming up Sept. 12 – 19 to help raise awareness about the importance of making sure kids are properly restrained in vehicles when traveling. Visit www.savemolives.com to learn about child seat check events in your area.

Let's Talk

As regional coordinator for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, I am often invited to speak with groups about safe driving habits. Some stories I hear at these outings are uplifting and some are sad. More importantly, we can all learn from these stories because they are about real people just like you and me.

Real People, Real Loss - This summer, a local high school principal in mid-Missouri invited me to speak with students and parents as part of their driver’s education class. The principal was concerned because several teens in this community had died in car crashes during the last school year. Some of the teens were riding with their parents. Sadly, none were wearing a seat belt. The principal felt an urgency to educate the students and community about seat belt safety because she didn’t want to see another young life lost. I applaud her efforts.

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand that without a seat belt, a person can be tossed around and out of a vehicle during a crash. Seat belts keep you secured in your seat.

Check out this link of a taxi cab driver that fell asleep while driving. He ends up with his head out the window of the car after it rolls.



Check out this public service announcement showing how an unbelted passenger hurt others in the car.



In my job I see a lot. I’ve seen people survive serious crashes because they were wearing a seat belt and stayed secured in their seat. I’ve seen crashes in which the passenger area of the car was barely damaged, but the unbelted occupants were thrown from the car or seriously hurt others inside the car as they were tossed about. I hear people tell me they can hold on during a crash. The reality is that the force of a crash at 40 mph is like hitting the ground after falling off a 50-foot cliff. You can’t hold on.

Do As I Do - I am a parent. One of the most important safety tips I’ve tried to teach my children is that they have a much better chance of surviving a vehicle crash if wearing a seat belt. I tell them this sometimes. More importantly, my wife and I show them how important we think it is by buckling up every single time we drive or ride in a vehicle.

Why I Do This - Just like the high school principal, I encourage you to proactively work to encourage others to use their seat belt. Buckling up takes seconds. Use that time to choose wisely because it might just affect the rest of your life or the life of someone you love. My hope is that as I visit places to speak on this topic in the future, the positive stories will outnumber the sad.

Start A Dialogue - I encourage parents and teens to respond to this blog. Let me know what questions you have about safe driving practices like seat belt safety and sober driving. I’m happy to respond and I look forward to hearing from you.