TROOPERS HIT ROAD FOR HOLIDAYS

Additional Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers will be out patrolling Missouri's roadways during the holidays in hopes it will lead to safer holidays this year.

Last year seven people were killed over the Christmas holiday, and 11 people died over the New Year's holiday in traffic crashes on Missouri's roadways.

Inattention, speeding, and drinking while driving were the three top contributing factors to most of the crashes that occurred during the holiday season last year.

The Christmas traffic crash counting period begins at 6 p.m., Tuesday and goes through 11:59 p.m. Christmas Day. The counting period for New Year's will be from 6 p.m. Dec. 31, through 11:59 p.m. New Year's Day.