Fourth of July weekend is one of the most dangerous weekends of the year for road fatalities. Last weekend was not an exception including several car crashes and motorcycle accidents.
Ten people died resulting from motor vehicle crashes. More than half of those crashes occurred in the Ozarks according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The holiday counting period began at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening July 2, 0215, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5, 2015.
Patrol Worked 305 Traffic Crashes: Ten Fatalities, 140 Injured
In 2014, nine people were killed over the July Fourth holiday and there were 263 traffic crashes in which 121 people were injured, thus an increase this year of 43 crashes, 19 more people injured and one more fatality than last year. In comparison, Troopers arrested 127 for driving while intoxicated compared to last year when 142 people were arrested for DUI. This last weekend six boating crashes were investigated and resulted in four injures and Troopers arrested 17 people for boating while intoxicated. Last year, there were 21 boating crashes, 16 injuries and two fatalities as well as four people drown during the holiday. Troopers arrested 13 people for boating while intoxicated in 2014.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Two traffic fatalities: A 45 year-old man of St. Louis, MO died after he pulled his vehicle to the shoulder and then made a U-turn in front of a second vehicle. The second vehicle struck his pick up on the driver’s side door. The crash occurred in Franklin County on Missouri Highway 30 westbound just before Hendricks Road. The St. Louis man was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the other vehicle was listed as not injured and wearing his seat belt.
The second fatality was a 45 year old man of Eldon, Missouri who died when a vehicle pulled from a median crossover on U.S. Highway 63 in front of the motorcycle he was driving. The motorcyclist applied his brakes, went into a skid and struck the right side of the other vehicle. The crash occurred in Randolph county at Missouri Route NN in Renick, MO The cyclists was ejected from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Two people died on Saturday. A 44 year-old woman of Princeto, MO died when another vehicle crossed the centerline and struck her vehicle head-on. The victim was wearing a seat-belt at the time of the crash in Mercer County on U.S. Highway 136 east of Princeton, MO. The passengers in her vehicle sustained moderate injuries and both were wearing seat belts. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries and was not wearing a set belt.
The second fatality involved a 16 year-old Advance, MO motorcyclist. He died when the Yamaha utility vehicle he was driving ran off the left side of the roadway, then struck several mailboxes and trees. The crash occurred in Bollinger County on Missouri Route Y southwest of Grassy, MO. The passenger on the Yamaha sustained serious injures in the crash.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Six people died on Sunday. A 28 year0-old man of Lake Ozark died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway. He overcorrected causing the vehicle to travel off the left side of the roadway and overturn several times. The crash occurred in St. Clair County on Missouri Route E north of Roscoe, MO.
A 71 year-old man of Warsaw, MO died when the vehicle he was driving experienced a mechanical issue. As a result, the vehicle was traveling at a slow rate of speed on the interstate. A second vehicle struck the rear of the vehicle the Warsaw man was driving. The crash occurred on I-70 westbound near the 118.2 mile marker. The victim was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The passenger in the vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash. The driver of the second vehicle sustained moderate injures.
A 61 year-old Springfield, MO man died when the motorcycle he was driving began to skid then overturned when it attempted to avoid a farm implement. The farm implement was turning onto the roadway from a private field entrance. The crash occurred in Christian county on Missouri Highway 125 north of Linden, MO. The man and his passenger were ejected from the motorcycle which struck the rear of the farm implement. While the Springfield man was pronounced dead at the scene, his passenger on the motorcycle sustained serious injuries.
A 25 year-old Urbana, MO woman and a 19 year-old Weaubleau, MO woman were killed with the vehicle they were driving skidded across the centerline on Missouri Highway 64 and was struck in the passenger side door by a second vehicle. The crash occurred in Hickory county on Missouri Highway 64 west of Nemo, MO. While the two young women were pronounced dead at the scene, the driver of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries.
Lastly, a 58 year-old Eagle Rock, MO man died when the motorcycle he was driving traveled off the left side of the roadway and the driver overcorrected. The motorcycle then returned to the roadway and overturned. The rider was ejected onto the highway and the vehicle came to rest on the right side of the roadway. The crash occurred in Cass County on Interstate 49 southbound, north of Missouri Highway 7.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
In a trend analysis, experts found that the most dangerous days on the roadways were July 4, July 3, December 23 and December 24 when they examined 24 years of data and trends. July 4 was either the most deadly or the second most deadly day for the time periods studied.
Independence Day weekend typically has been the most deadly because of increased traffic and primarily because an increase of drivers under the influence. During Christmas holidays and summer holidays, the number of crashes involving alcohol related drivers increase dramatically. The NHTSA state that a higher volume of holiday travelers, including a significant number of alcohol related drivers cause nearly twice the number of automotive deaths during summer months than during the rest of the year combined.
That being stated, it is NOT assumed that any of the above referenced motor vehicle crashes over the 2015 Fourth of July holiday are attributed or caused by alcohol. Information unique to each accident is made available to pertinent individuals after the appropriate investigations are completed.
If you have been in a motor vehicle crash and have been injured, you may need legal assistance. We represent victims of motor vehicle crashes.
Our attorneys are available seven days a week for free consultations locally 314-276-1681 or toll free 1.800.685.3302
Summary Article Name Missouri Traffic Crashes Kill 10 Over Holiday Weekend Author Zane T. Cagle Description The most dangerous weekend for road fatalities resulted in 10 deaths and 140 injuries.Share This:
