Speed kills.
And, with more drivers putting the pedal to the metal, more traffic crashes are turning fatal, local and state law enforcement officials say.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were 1,013 traffic fatalities in the state in 2021, the first time since 2006 that the number topped 1,000.
It’s the second straight year the number of fatalities has increased after a decade in which the number fell.
Cpl. Logan Bolton, a spokesman for the Highway Patrol, said the pandemic is likely the reason for the reversal.
“When people were sheltering at home and working from home in 2020, the roads were open and people felt comfortable speeding,” he said. “That led to an increase. Now, even though more people are out on the roads, they’re still giving it the gas. More speed, more cars lead to more collisions. And when it comes to fatal accidents, speed is almost always the biggest factor.”
Of the state’s 1,013 fatal accidents last year, 46 happened in Jefferson County, said Capt. Brian Taylor, support services commander for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
That compares with 39 deaths in 2020 and 36 in 2019, he said.
“I think it’s because there are more people out there,” Taylor said.
He said he doesn’t believe speeding is the only reason for the increase in fatal accidents.
“If there’s one fairly common element – and I don’t have the stats to back it up – it’s that technology is hurting us all. The use of cell phones when you’re driving seems to be more and more common, and that leads to driver inattention. I know when I get out on the road, I’ll pull up alongside someone, and it’s shocking how many times I see that driver on the phone. It’s honestly our biggest problem. Bigger than alcohol and drugs,” he said.
Bolton concurred.
“There’s so much more you can do on a cell phone than you could 10 years ago, when you could just talk and maybe text,” he said. “Now, there’s social media all over the place, and that commands some drivers’ attention. When you’re paying attention to other things when you’re trying to drive, it often doesn’t go well.”
Taylor said a change in state law in mid-2020 that allows motorcyclists 26 and older with valid health insurance to not wear helmets hasn’t helped.
“Motorcycle fatalities are going through the roof,” he said. “We saw a 33 percent increase statewide (118 in 2020 to 158 in 2021).
“When the state changed its helmet law, that’s when we started to see the motorcycle fatalities start to rise. Of the 158 fatalities in 2021, 87 were known to not be wearing helmets. That’s crazy and tragic,” he said.
But, Taylor cautioned those numbers don’t reflect that a fatal accident involving a motorcycle is always the motorcyclist’s fault.
“Getting back to the issues of cell phones, if a driver of an auto is inattentive and doesn’t see a car coming their way, what are the chances they’ll see a motorcycle?” Taylor said. “I’m not criticizing the law. We’re in business to enforce the law. But more than likely, an accident involving an automobile and a motorcycle is going to end badly for the motorcyclist, and I don’t think the helmet law is helping. But it is the law, so we respect it.”
Bolton said there are simple measures drivers can take to minimize their chances of being in next year’s fatal accident statistics.
“First, put your phone down. Then, slow down. Realize that even if you’re in a hurry, going faster isn’t going to do anything other than maybe getting where you’re going a few seconds faster. Drive sober. And put your seat belts on. Those are all factors in fatal accidents,” he said.
On the subject of drunken driving, Taylor said fortunately fatal accidents linked to alcohol use don’t appear to be on the rise.
He said statewide in 2021, 154 fatalities were linked to alcohol use.
“When you think about it, that’s a little over 10 percent, which is still too much but that percentage has been pretty steady over the last few years,” he said.
Both Taylor and Bolton said the goal of law enforcement is to reduce traffic fatalities to a single digit – zero.
“That’s absolutely our goal,” Bolton said. “That’s what’s behind the state’s highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero. When it comes to those four things – slowing down, buckling up, staying off the phone and driving sober – those are all things in your control.”
Taylor said the Sheriff’s Office always looks for ways to lower the number of traffic crashes and fatalities.
“There are a couple of things we’re trying to do to help out. On a regular basis, we evaluate the top 10 dangerous roads in the county and focus our patrol efforts there,” he said.
Roads that are usually on the list include Old Lemay Ferry Road, Old Hwy. 21, Gravois Road, Saline Road, Old Hwy. M, New Sugar Creek Road and West Rock Creek Road, he said.
“The other thing we’ve done is reevaluate how we approach holidays. We’ve determined that we don’t necessarily need to step up patrols on some legal holidays, such as Presidents Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But we’ve started to question what are the days that are most dangerous? The Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo, July 4, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day – we try to get more officers on the roads on those days,” he said.
“We’re doing everything we can do to lower the number of fatalities on our roads,” Taylor said, “but ultimately, unless we can get it down to zero, we haven’t done enough.”