Traffic deaths down in Mo., but up in region

Traffic deaths in Missouri dropped in each of the past three years while fatalities in the region that includes Pettis County steadily increased during the same period.

Statewide traffic casualties dropped 27 percent since 2006, when 1,096 were killed in traffic accidents. That total fell to 992 in 2007, and 949 in 2008.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Tim Hull, director of the public information and education division, attributed the statewide decline to aggressive enforcement and education campaigns. He credited the combination of sobriety checkpoints, saturation campaigns and increased enforcement in construction zones for contributing to the decrease in fatal accidents across the state.

"There (are) a lot of people on the bubble who won't take a chance if they know about the enforcement campaigns," Hull said.

Hull also cited developments in infrastructure, including cable barriers on interstate highways and rumble strips on the sides of the road, along with improved emergency medical service as important factors in the recent reduction of traffic deaths.

While statewide traffic fatalities have declined for each of the last three years, combined deaths in the 13 counties that compose Troop A consistently increased over that period.

In 2006, 175 people died in accidents in those counties. Total traffic deaths under Troop A's jurisdiction jumped to 180 in 2007, and 184 in 2008. Troop A comprises Pettis, Benton, Saline, Lafayette, Henry, Johnson, Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, Ray counties.

Traffic fatalities in Pettis County have been up and down during the past three years. Six people died in traffic accidents in 2006, 12 in 2007, and seven in 2008.

Among the 13 counties in neighboring Troop F, deaths resulting from traffic accidents fell from 137 in 2006 to 104 in 2007. Traffic casualties remained nearly even in 2008, with 105 traffic deaths. Troop F includes Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, and Osage counties.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Meyer, a public information officer with Troop A, said it is difficult to point to one factor for the increase in casualties in the region while statewide traffic fatalities have declined.

"We have seen a few more cases of multiple fatalities in single crashes," Meyer said. "We've got to get people to slow down, wear their seat belts and, of course, not drive after drinking. But to pinpoint it on one thing, I don't know."

Meyer said that while encouraging safe driving through various campaigns has proved successful, all drivers need to take personal responsibility to stay safe on the roads.

"We work hard on the education aspect, we have officers out every day working on the enforcement side," Meyer said. "At some point, we need people to do their part to make the roads safe."

Hull agreed that keeping the roads safe depends on individual drivers as much as the efforts of law enforcement agencies.

“We have had a lot of improvements. We have stepped up enforcement and educational campaigns, but we are still seeing way too many one-vehicle accidents when drivers are not wearing seat belts,” Hull said.