Twelve people died in traffic crashes, no one died in a boating crash, and no one drowned during the 2023 Labor Day holiday weekend.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated nine of the traffic fatalities. The Joplin Police Department investigated two traffic fatalities and the Springfield Police Department investigated one traffic fatality during the counting period. The 2023 counting period for the Labor Day holiday was from 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4.
Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers investigated 306 traffic crashes with 146 injuries and nine fatalities. Troopers arrested 119 people for driving while intoxicated and made 19 drug arrests.
Troopers investigated 11 boating crashes with two injuries and no fatalities. They arrested two people for boating while intoxicated.
During the 2022 counting period, the Patrol investigated 286 traffic crashes, which included 119 injuries and four of the seven fatalities. Troopers made 121 arrests for driving while intoxicated last year. Also, over the 2022 Labor Day holiday, troopers investigated eight boating crashes involving one fatality and five injuries and arrested five people for boating while intoxicated on the state’s rivers and lakes. One person drowned over the 2022 Labor Day holiday weekend.
Troopers investigated nine of the 12 fatal traffic crashes over the 2023 Labor Day holiday weekend. Two fatal traffic crashes occurred in each of the Troop B, Macon; Troop D, Springfield; and Troop H, St. Joseph areas. One fatal traffic crash each occurred in the Troop A, Lee’s Summit; Troop E, Poplar Bluff; and Troop G, Willow Springs, areas.
Three people died during the counting period on Friday, Sept. 1, four people died Saturday, Sept. 2, one person died in a traffic crash on Sunday, Sept. 3, and four people died in traffic crashes on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.
