Crashes down but deaths up during Missouri’s holiday counting period

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Traffic crashes on Missouri's highways during the Christmas holiday fell by more than 100 compared to last year, though more people died in this year's crashes.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Monday that troopers investigated 175 crashes during this year's holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday and ended Sunday night.

Last year, troopers worked 278 crashes in a much shorter, 30-hour counting period.

The patrol said five people died in crashes this year compared to three last year. One of the deadly crashes happened in the Jefferson City area when a Kansas City woman went off Highway 50 and was thrown from her vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The patrol reported about half the injuries -- 55 -- during this year's counting period compared to last year's period. Troopers made 62 DWI arrests.