By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports no fatalities during the long New Year’s holiday counting period.
Sergeant Jake Angle with Troop H in St. Joseph says that number is amazing to see considering the factors that go into the New Year’s counting period.
"Not only here in Troop H but statewide, zero traffic fatalities, and you know honestly when you're looking at a counting period like that over New Year’s, you know people out celebrating and stuff, and then also a winter event in there as well, it was really good to see," Angle tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Angle says in northwest Missouri, troopers arrested 16 people for impaired driving, and worked 29 traffic crashes that resulted in 10 injuries.
Angle says that it’s fair to assume the New Year’s holiday is more dangerous than most, but he says it’s hard to predict if it actually is the most dangerous or not.
"Those things are hard to put your finger on sometimes, you know we've had counting periods where we've had obviously fatalities and stuff, and then you have some where you have very few, and then one like this where you have none," Angle says. "And of course, you ask yourself, what did we do different, what was different about this one, and I think sometimes that’s hard to put your finger on."
Angle says that there were some numbers that stood out to him from Troop H.
"There were 16 impaired drivers removed from the roadway, which obviously is not only a danger to themselves but a danger to every other motorist out there on the roadway," Angle says. "Four drug arrests, we did have 29 crashes with 10 injuries, but zero fatalities."
And Angle says all things considered.
"You know a pretty good New Year’s travel period," Angle proudly says.
Angle says the low number of crashes and fatalities could also be attributed to the weather we saw over the weekend, crediting drivers for being smart and staying home.