Missouri Aims to Reduce Crash Fatalities with Road Safety Blueprint

St. Peters, MO, (Law Firm Newswire) January 28, 2016 – The Missouri State Highway Patrol held a press conference on November 24 to address the increased number of traffic crash fatalities in Missouri. They also discussed what motorists can do to enhance their safety on the roads.

Nearly 800 people have died on the state’s roadways as of the beginning of December 2015, marking an increase of 80 deaths in comparison to the same period in 2014. The 11-percent rise goes against the overall decline in crash deaths over the past decade. The Missouri State Highway Patrol also reported investigating 544 traffic crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, marking a considerable increase from last year’s 319 accidents.

“The aim should be not just to reduce crash fatalities but also the serious injuries that occur as a result of irresponsible driving and negligent behavior on the roads. Traffic accidents can give rise to personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits,” said Charles James, a prominent attorney in St. Peters, Missouri, whose law firm specializes in personal injury.

The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is a partnership of safety advocates who have come together to address the problem of traffic crashes and fatalities. They are rewriting the Blueprint to Save More Lives, a five-year strategic highway safety plan. The goal is to reduce crash deaths to 700 or fewer by 2016. However, the state is currently not on track to reach the target.

The team drafting the plan comprises emergency medical staff, educators, engineers and law enforcement officers from across Missouri. The new plan will be presented in October 2016 and is scheduled to be implemented at the start of 2017.

Committee member Sgt. Doug Ruediger, who heads Jefferson City Police Department’s traffic unit, said the key to improving safety on Missouri’s roads is “people taking responsibility for their driving, getting the word out, education and awareness.” “That’s an area that I think maybe we as police officers haven’t done as good a job, but we’re striving to do better.”

Learn more at http://www.jameslawgroup.net/. James Law Group, LLC 14 Richmond Center Court St. Peters, MO 63376 Phone: 636.397.2411 Toll Free: 800.229.7112