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For Memorial Day weekend, State Highway Patrol stresses safety

Rebecca Smith
/
KBIA

The Missouri State Highway patrol is reminding Missourians to stay safe this Memorial Day weekend – both on the road and on the water.

According to the agency, during the 2024 Memorial Day holiday weekend, there were more than 1000 road vehicle crashes statewide, which injured nearly 500 people and killed 10, as well as seven boating crashes, with no fatalities and seven injuries.

During the same timeframe, 128 people were arrested for driving while intoxicated and six for boating while intoxicated.

“Always wear a seat belt when traveling in a vehicle, and wear a life jacket when near, on, or in the water,” the Highway Patrol wrote in a news release.

The counting period for the Memorial Day holiday runs from 6 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 26.

Rebecca Smith is an award-winning reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth Desk. Born and raised outside of Rolla, Missouri, she has a passion for diving into often overlooked issues that affect the rural populations of her state – especially stories that broaden people’s perception of “rural” life.
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