Holiday traffic season passes with no fatal road accidents

Motorists in Cape Girardeau County avoided fatal traffic accidents over the Christmas and New Year's weekend, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Counting periods for the holidays began at 6 p.m. Friday and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday for each holiday.

A highway patrol report released this week said there were no fatal traffic accidents during the holidays throughout Troop E, which includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne counties.

The report said that over the Christmas holiday weekend Troop E investigated 39 traffic crashes, which resulted in 31 injuries and 21 arrests for driving while intoxicated. In 2005, Troop E officers made 21 arrests for driving while intoxicated, investigated 25 traffic crashes, which 15 resulted in injuries and no fatalities.

During New Year's weekend, Troop E officers investigated 29 traffic crashes resulting in seven injuries and made 24 arrests for driving while intoxicated in this period. For the same period during the previous year, Troop E officers investigated 25 traffic crashes, resulting in seven injuries with two of those being fatalities.

Last year Troop E reported 80 deaths resulting from traffic accidents, which is 25 fewer than reported in 2005, said Capt. George E. Ridens, Troop E commanding officer.

"I certainly hope this reduction will carry over into 2007," Ridens said. "We can continue to save lives by obeying traffic laws and paying attention," he said, adding that driver inattention is the No. 1 cause of accidents in the state.

Statewide, eight fatalities were reported during New Year's counting period between 6 p.m. Dec. 29 and 11:59 p.m. Jan. 1.

During this period, the patrol investigated 247 traffic crashes, which included 109 injuries and all eight fatalities. Troopers also arrested 132 people for driving while intoxicated. Last year, the patrol investigated 220 traffic crashes, including 81 injuries. Troopers arrested 151 people for driving while intoxicated during last year's counting period, which was also 78 hours in length.

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