Col. Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provided the following preliminary statistics related to the Christmas holiday weekend.
Eight people died in traffic crashes during the 78-hour counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26.
Troopers investigated 310 traffic crashes involving 92 injuries and four fatalities. Troopers arrested 67 people for driving while intoxicated.
Last year during the 78-hour Christmas counting period, there were 746 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, 10 people were killed and another 10 were injured. During the 2020 Christmas holiday, troopers investigated 307 traffic crashes which included all 10 fatalities and 86 injuries. Troopers arrested 62 people for driving while impaired in 2020.
There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2021 Christmas holiday counting period.
Of the four fatality traffic crashes investigated by troopers, two occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring area, and two occurred in the Troop F, Jefferson City area. The remaining four fatalities were investigated by Kansas City Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Overland Police Department, and Wentzville Police Department.
There were no traffic fatalities on Thursday, Dec. 23, five traffic fatalities on Friday, Dec. 24, two traffic fatalities on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and one traffic fatality on Sunday, Dec. 26.
