Col. Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provided the following preliminary statistics related to the Christmas holiday weekend.
According to a news release, two people died in traffic crashes during the 78-hour counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25. Troopers investigated 124 traffic crashes with 71 injuries and two fatalities. They arrested 81 people for driving while intoxicated.
Last year during the 78-hour Christmas counting period, there were 1,017 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, four people were killed and another 318 were injured. During the 2022 Christmas holiday, troopers investigated 306 traffic crashes, which included three fatalities and 84 injuries. Troopers arrested 52 people for driving while impaired in 2022.
There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2023 Christmas holiday counting period.
Of the two fatality traffic crashes investigated by troopers, one occurred in the Troop D, Springfield area, and one occurred in the Troop G, Willow Springs area.
There were no traffic fatalities on Friday, Dec. 22, one fatality on Saturday, Dec. 23, one fatality on Sunday, Dec. 24, and no traffic fatalities on Monday, Dec. 25.
