COUNTY ACCIDENTS INCREASE 17.7 PERCENT

While motor vehicle accidents in Southeast Missouri as a whole rose by only 2.1 percent in 1995, Cape Girardeau County contributed more than its share with a 17.7 percent increase in accidents.

"Cape County led the league this year," said Sgt. Brent Davis of the Missouri Highway Patrol. "That's a first. Butler County generally is number one."

Year-end statistics for Troop E based in Poplar Bluff showed 3,733 accidents were investigated in its territory during 1995, an increase of 80 over the 3,653 reported in 1994.

But Cape Girardeau County saw an increase in accidents -- 86 -- that exceeded the total rise for all of Troop E. There were 572 accidents in Cape Girardeau County in 1995, up from 486 the year before.

"Cape County for some reason had quite a lot more accidents," Davis said. "How to explain that? I don't know."

Although surpassed by Cape County, Butler County still saw more accidents than in 1994. There were 550 accidents in Butler County in 1995, compared to 531 the year before.

"Butler usually leads the troop in accidents and is always in the top one or two in fatalities," Davis said.

Other leading counties in the region for accidents: Stoddard with 351, up from 336; Scott with 345, up from 315; and New Madrid with 303, down from 311.

Butler County did retain the dubious title of fatality leader with 12, an increase of two. However, Cape Girardeau County, which was second, saw its fatality rate more than triple from three traffic deaths in 1994 to 10 in 1995. New Madrid and Scott counties each followed with nine deaths while Stoddard County accounted for eight.

Overall, fatalities for Troop E remained constant with 77, while injuries from accidents rose from 2,095 to 2,222.

Arrests stemming from alcohol-related accidents rose slightly from 435 to 454. Butler County again topped the list with 63 such arrests, up from 60. Other leading counties included Pemiscot with 50, New Madrid with 43, Cape Girardeau with 41, Dunklin with 40 and Scott with 39.

Of the 13 counties patrolled by Troop E, eight had increases in the number of motor vehicle accidents while five had decreases.

Mississippi County had the fewest accidents with 142, down from 152. Bollinger County, which had the second lowest number of accidents with 161, experienced the largest decline. Accidents in the county dropped 17.9 percent from the 196 reported in 1994.

Alcohol arrests increased in all but Bollinger, Iron, Madison, Pemiscot and Stoddard counties.