Compared to last year (2013), there were more road fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday this past weekend. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that 15 people died this year over the Thanksgiving holiday beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, 2014 through 11:59 p.m., November 30, 2014. Last year there were 11 fatalities in Missouri. This year, troopers investigated 319 traffic crashes, which included 109 injuries. Troopers arrested 92 people for driving while intoxicated and investigated all 15 of the highway traffic fatalities.
Interstate 44 Fatal Crash- Observing the Aftermath
If you were on the highways, you saw the increased traffic and potential for crashes as with any holiday weekend. Generally, we read about these crashes and often, I represent victims of such serious crashes. This holiday weekend while traveling, we actually came across one of the fatal crashes. While sitting on Interstate 44 for over an hour, your initial thoughts are of being “inconvenienced” and wondering if you will be able to get off the highway before you need to make a critical pit-stop. But as we sat there, I thought, “Someone or several people will not be making it home safely”. The very idea that I felt “inconvenienced” made me feel remorseful for feeling that way. After the emergency personnel cleared one of the highway lanes, the traffic was allowed through slowly. Approaching the crash site, it became obvious that it was very serious. It was difficult to tell how many vehicles were involved due to the wreckage however, it was apparent at least one semi-truck was involved. Truly, the very sight of the wreckage made the dangers of highway travel all the more real for my family. Today, I saw the report from the Missouri Highway Patrol and it listed a 31 year old Bourbon, Missouri man as the victim of the fatal motor vehicle crash.
While one fatality is not necessarily more note-worthy than another, I was particularly interested in seeing if I could find out more about the occupants in the wrecked vehicles from the Friday night crash on Interstate 44. Understandably, seeing the wreckage on I-44 had left an impression on me. According to reports, there was a 31 year-old Bourbon man whose vehicle struck the trailer of a commercial vehicle which had stopped in the left lane. His vehicle then struck a third vehicle. Neither of the driver’s of the other vehicles were reported as injured and the 31 year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. While we have all sat in traffic whether in the city or on the interstates, we frequently get very caught up in the problems that it causes us in reaching our destination, rather than the life changing events that are occurring in the crash. A little “inconvenience” is probably good for each of us in order to remind us of how fragile life is and how quickly life can change on the highway.
Wednesday, November 26th 2014
Five of the fifteen fatalities occurred on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. A 24-year old East Prairie, Missouri woman died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the roadway, struck a ditch and overturned. The crash occurred in Mississippi County on Route B south of Country Road 417.
A car crash in Stone County on Pleasant View Road west of Highlandville, Missouri claimed the lives of four young people and injured four additional passengers. Three 19-year old men from Nixa, Missouri and one 19-year old Sparta man were all killed when their vehicle going southbound on Pleasant View Road traveled off the side of the roadway and struck a tree. Four passengers were injured as well. Reportedly, two passengers sustained minor injuries and two passengers sustained serious injuries.
Thursday, Thanksgiving, November 27, 2014
Two fatalities occurred on Thursday. A 39 year-old Augusta, Missouri man died when the vehicle he was driving was traveling too fast for conditions and failed to maintain a lane. The vehicle slid off the ride side of the road and overturned. The crash occurred in St. Charles County on eastbound Highway 94 west of Hinnah Lane.
A 60 year-old Kansas City, Missouri man died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a guardrail. He was reported as ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Clay County on northbound Interstate 35 south of Brighton, Missouri.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Four fatalities occurred on Friday. A 40 year old Stockton, Missouri man died when the right front tire of his vehicle blew out. The vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. The crash occurred in Vernon County on U.S. 54 west of Nevada, Missouri
A 50 year old St. Charles man died in a motorcycle crash. It was reported that he was traveling too fast for conditions and laid down his motorcycle which exited the roadway into the median. The crash occurred in St. Charles County northbound U.S. Highway 61 at McHugh Road.
a 67 year old Newburg, Missouri man died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a mailbox, then traveled down an embankment. The left front of the vehicle struck a culvert, then the vehicle overturned, struck a fence and came to rest on its top. The crash occurred in Phelps County on Missouri Route FF east of Edgar Spring, Missouri
The fourth fatality was the Interstate 44 crash discussed at the beginning of this article.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Four fatalities occurred on Saturday. A 79 year old Walnut Grove woman died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve and she lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then traveled off the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in Polk County on Missouri Highway 215 west of Morrisville, Missouri.
A 53 year old Harrison, Arkansas woman died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger ran off the roadway. The driver overcorrected, resulting in the vehicle overturning. As the vehicle overturned, debris was set in motion and struck a second vehicle. The driver of the vehicle is reported as sustaining moderate injuries. The crash occurred in Taney county on U.S. Highway 65 north of Branson, Missouri
A 37 year old Monett woman died when the vehicle of which she was a passenger ran off the roadway and struck a tree. The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the crash and the crash occurred in Lawrence County on County road 2230 east of Monett, Missouri
Lastly, a 52 year old Walnut Shade man died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in Greene County on Missouri Route MM in Republic, Missouri
Always Wear Your Seatbelt
It several scenarios described above, the wearing of a seatbelt proved to be life-saving. A seat belt cannot guarantee you will not be seriously injured or killed if your car overturns numerous times or strikes a large object, but in many situations it can reduce the seriousness of the injury or prevent a death causing injury. In each accident report, the authorities try to determine whether or not a seat belt was worn for several reasons. First, it is a Missouri law to wear a seatbelt. If the person dies, does it really matter whether they were wearing a seatbelt? It does, because law makers and transportation safety experts track all crashes, injuries and fatalities and look at the statistics of whether wearing a seat belt makes a significant difference.
How do you know if you need an attorney?
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, you may need an expert auto accident attorney. If you have not been injured, then you probably do not need a personal injury attorney. However, if you have been injured and you are requiring ongoing medical treatment, then you probably need to consult a personal injury attorney. Obviously, if you have been driving under the influence, then you may need a criminal attorney. As well, if the other party claims the crash is your fault, you will want to contact an attorney.
Our attorneys understand that the days and weeks following a motor vehicle crash are difficult and we are available seven days a week to answer your questions. Call us locally (314) 276-1681 or toll free (800) 685-3302–consultations are always free.
Fifteen Fatalities Reported Over 2014 Thanksgiving Holiday. The Sedalia News Journal. 12/1/14
