2007 Traffic Fatalities Dive
More Missouri Motorists Arrive Alive

State Will Reach Fatality Reduction Goal One Year Early

For the second year in a row, precious lives were saved from Missouri traffic crashes when compared to previous years.  This year’s decrease rang in the new year down by 11 percent, giving Missouri less than 1,000 traffic fatalities for the year, and allowing the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety to reach a monumental goal one year early.

Fatalities from traffic crashes are down dramatically from 1,257 in 2005, to 1,096 in 2006, and finally 974 for 2007. Although the 2007 number will rise as additional reports come in, it is expected to stay under 1,000. Missouri traffic fatalities haven’t been that low for 15 years, when the fatality total for 1993 was 949. This is almost a 24 percent reduction in the last two years.

“If the number stays under 1,000 we will meet the goal set by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety back in 2004 -- and meet it one year early,” said Colonel James F. Keathley, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “We’d ultimately like that number to be zero, but we have to start somewhere and getting that number down to under 1,000 is a tremendous accomplishment.”

The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is a large group of safety advocates who banded together in 2004 to create Missouri’s Blueprint for Safer Roadways to attack the problem of traffic crashes and deaths. Within the Blueprint, Missouri’s fatality reduction goal was set at “1,000 or fewer fatalities by 2008.”

“Our efforts to improve the safety of Missourians have broken a 14-year trend, which is great news for Missouri families,” Gov. Matt Blunt said. “We would ultimately like for there to be zero fatalities on our highways, but reducing fatalities to under 1,000 is a tremendous step in the right direction. I commend Colonel Keathley, the Highway Patrol, MoDOT, safety coalition partners and all those involved for their work to ensure that Missouri families arrive at their destination safely.” 

Besides increased enforcement and education, part of the reduction is attributed to MoDOT’s engineering advances such as the installation of median guard cable on the interstates, rumble stripes, smoother pavement, better and brighter signing, striping and reflective markings to help keep drivers on the road.

“We are thrilled to know our work is saving lives," said Pete Rahn, MoDOT director. "Engineering improvements along with the combination of law enforcement, educational efforts and emergency medical services have been proven to reduce fatalities. Strong partnerships made these improvements possible.

“We will continue to look for innovative ways to make our roads safer and to spread safety messages,” Rahn said.

Over the last four years, Interstate 70 cable installation reduced cross-median fatalities from 24 to two. Statewide, these fatalities were reduced by nearly half.  Missouri currently has nearly 500 miles of median guard cable installed. MoDOT is studying the state’s entire four-lane divided highway system to determine additional locations where guard cable would be effective in reducing fatalities.

“We are very pleased with Missouri’s decrease in fatal traffic crashes, and we are committed to working with our traffic safety partners to further reduce the number of traffic deaths in our state," Keathley said.

The patrol and other local law enforcement agencies used innovative enforcement efforts and safety programs to help reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes in Missouri last year.

The coalition continues to work toward the passage of a primary seat belt law in Missouri, which would save an additional 90 lives each year.