The Missouri Highway Patrol reports that 10 people were killed in fatal motor vehicle accidents in Missouri over the recent Fourth of July holiday weekend. It also reports arresting 127 people for drunk driving during this same time period.
Unfortunately, the dangers of drunk driving in Missouri are not restricted to a three-day holiday weekend. A look at the most recent motor vehicle accident reports reveal just how prevalent driving while intoxicated and other reckless driver behaviors are in Missouri.
The Missouri Highway Patrol lists statewide vehicle accidents on its website. It reports that over 35,000 motor vehicle crashes occurred from January through June 2015, 555 of which were fatal car and truck accidents.
Bad Driving Behavior Leading Cause of Missouri Fatal Car Crashes
It also lists the contributing circumstances for the accidents. Overwhelmingly, negligent driver behavior was the leading factor in Missouri's fatal motor vehicle crashes so far this year.
• Alcohol use was the second leading factor, listed in 66 of the 555 fatal traffic accidents, or about 19 percent
• Driving too fast for road or weather conditions was the number one driver error, accounting for 72 of Missouri's fatal motor vehicle accidents
• Exceeding the speed limit, distracted drivers, and failure to yield were careless driver behaviors that were almost equal contributors to fatal accidents in the first half of 2015 - about 8 percent for each
A review of the last five years shows these irresponsible driving behaviors have been consistent in the rate of how many fatal driving accidents they've been responsible for in Missouri. The percentages are all about the same, except for alcohol use, which is down just a few percentage points over the last five years as compared to the first half of 2015.
When drivers makes careless decisions, innocent people often times get hurt or suffer fatal injuries. If you were seriously injured or had a loved one die because of another driver's actions, an attorney who investigates catastrophic motor vehicle accidents can pursue your legal rights to just compensation for your losses.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertising.
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