Missouri saw nearly a 6% decline in its number of traffic-related deaths for 2019 while the number of fatalities on Southeast Missouri’s roadways increased significantly.
Patrol officials report 866 people died statewide in 2019, down 55 from the 921 who were killed in 2018.
The 13 counties in Troop E saw a nearly 32 percent increase in deaths in 2019 when 62 people died. That number is up 15 from the 47 deaths in 2018.
“I think there are multiple things we can say as to why the fatalities are down” statewide, including “increased patrol and education,” said Sgt. Clark Parrott, Troop E’s public information officer.
Clark believes drivers are more aware of the dangers than in years’ past.
“Distracted and impaired driving will always be something we try to continually educate the public on,” especially distracted driving, said Parrott.
Cellphone usage, he said, has exploded.
“Everybody has a cellphone” and wants to use it while driving, Parrott said. “We’ll continue to be vigilant in the education side of it.”
Parrott said the patrol also released its newest traffic safety video in November, and that video will continue to be shown at schools and civic organizations in 2020.
For Troop E, “we had a couple of critical, seriously critical incidents when multiple people were killed in the same traffic crash,” Parrott said. “Our numbers being so small, it doesn’t take much to bump that number up.”
As in the past, Parrott said, Interstate 55 is going to continue to be the troop’s busiest highway and contribute to the troop’s fatality numbers.
“Some of our traffic crashes we had were with young people on side-by-sides, and those are cited in our traffic crashes and effect that” number, Parrott explained.
Bad things are going to happen, according to Parrott, when 14, 15 or 16 year olds ride in side-by-sides on county roads without proper safety equipment and get ejected.
“This is one of the reasons our numbers are up,” Parrott said.
Anyone operating a side-by-side or four wheeler on a county road or a highway must have a valid license, Parrott said.
A couple of the operators, who were involved in UTV crashes, did not have licenses, Parrott said.
Operators, he said, also must follow safety precautions and wear a seat belt or helmet.
“I see them (UTVs) on Township Line, Woodland Meadows, the rural part of Poplar Bluff,” Parrott said. “The thing about them is they are not designed for road use.
“They are off-road vehicles. If people are going to have them on the road, they need to make sure they are following all safety precautions.”