Crashes up, deaths down on Missouri highways over Thanksgiving weekend

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The number of crashes on Missouri's highways during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period was up this year compared to last but deaths were cut in half.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported Monday that 431 crashes took place statewide between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Four people were killed in crashes compared with eight last year, the patrol said. An additional driver died last year in a crash not investigated by troopers.

Drivers were in 414 crashes during the holiday period last year.

The patrol reported 138 injuries on Missouri roads this Thanksgiving, compared to 115 last year. Authorities made 103 DWI arrests this year, down 10 from last year, and 10 drug arrests.

None of the deadly crashes took place in Mid-Missouri. Two happened in the St. Louis area, another in southwest Missouri and a fourth in the Kansas City area.

The patrol reported no boating crashes or boating while intoxicated arrests.