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SAFE DRIVING AND SAFETY TIPS
Have you winterized your vehicle? Do you have an emergency kit in your car? Planning ahead could help you deal more effectively with an emergency.
Have a mechanic check your battery, heater, defroster, lights, brakes, oil, tires, wipers, and fluid levels before you travel Missouri's roads.
When bad weather strikes, the job of driving is made more difficult. This winter, please don't drive if you are overly fatigued.
Gather an ice scraper, tire chains, battery booster cables, blankets, flashlight, and a bag of sand. Put these items in your trunk, so you have them if needed.
When roads are snow-covered or icy, increase your following distance as you drive. Stopping quickly in these conditions is next to impossible.
Call Missouri's Road Condition Report at 1-800-222-6400 to help you plan your route. This number gives an automated listing of road conditions throughout the state. Making this call can help you plan the safest route in inclement weather.
Winter is beautiful, but it can make traveling treacherous. Be aware of traffic patterns and be courteous to other drivers.
In Missouri, restraining your child when they are traveling in a vehicle is more than a good idea -- it's the law.
It's National Child Passenger Safety Month! Buckle up your children!
Children are your most precious cargo. Protect them by buckling them up every time they get into a car.
Paying attention when you're driving could help you avoid a traffic crash. Inattention is one of the most common contributing factors of crashes.
Most often, a trooper's office is along the side of the highway. When you see red or red and blue lights along the side of the road, give them some room to work!
When you're driving on Missouri's roadways you must turn on your headlights if you are using your windshield wipers.
Spring can bring frequent changes in weather -- sunshine, rain, fog, and cold. These changes can affect driving conditions. Listen for weather bulletins before you drive.
Wet pavement can lead to hydroplaning. Increase your following distance, and be prepared to stop. Pay attention and look for trouble spots.
Spring brings changing temperatures. It can also bring fog early in the morning. Remember to turn on your headlights, slow down, and increase your following distance when driving in foggy conditions.
The spring showers that bring our flowers and gardens to life can cause flash flooding. If you come to a low spot in the road covered with running water, do not try to cross it.
Tired drivers are impaired drivers. If you're tired don't drive. Temporary fixes like taking a short nap before you drive, drinking something with caffeine, or exercising are exactly that-- temporary. Only sleep cures fatigue.
Warmer temperatures draw everyone outside after a long, cold winter. Watch for joggers along the road.
Nice weather will mean more travelers on the road. Pay attention as you travel and please be patient with changing traffic patterns.
Missouri law states drivers must yield the right-of-way to emergency service vehicles when their sirens and flashing lights are operating. Stay alert when you drive.
Memorial Day is the first holiday of the summer season. Troopers will be out in full force, assisting drivers and enforcing the laws. If you're traveling this weekend, make sure you buckle up and obey all traffic laws.
Biking is a healthy and fun way to enjoy Missouri. But, it can be dangerous if riders don't stay alert and obey the rules of the road. The same traffic rules apply to bicyclists as to drivers of a motor vehicle.
While you're having fun and getting some exercise while biking, remember to be safe. Wear a bicycle helmet to protect your head if you are in a crash. Be alert to what is going on around you. Use hand signals to tell other drivers of your intentions. Your bike should also have lights and reflectors if you are riding at night.
Drivers, stay alert when you see children riding bikes. Slow down and leave extra room between your vehicle and the bikes. Be prepared to stop suddenly. Taking a few precautions can increase safety.
July Fourth is a time to celebrate the freedoms we have in this great country. If you're driving to see friends or family, please think safety, obey all traffic laws, and pay attention to the traffic around you. One second of inattention is all it takes for a traffic crash to occur. If your celebration includes alcohol, don't drive.
In 2006, one person was killed or injured in construction/other work zone involved traffic crashes every 7.2 hours in Missouri. The number one cause of these types of crashes is driving too fast. Slow down when approaching construction zones. Pay attention to reduced speed limits, narrowed lanes, and other changes in traffic patterns. Road construction is temporary--please be patient!
Speed limits may be lowered in construction zones for your safety and the safety of the work crew. The number one cause of traffic crashes in work zones is driving too fast. Please obey the construction zone speed limit. It's the law.
As you approach a highway construction zone, please pay attention to your driving and slow down in construction zones. Our road construction crews are working to improve Missouri's roadways.
August is here, and soon children will be returning to school. Expect a change in traffic patterns early in the morning and in the mid-afternoon. Many of the additional drivers are young people without much driving experience. Please pay close attention when you drive.
Area schools will be back in session soon. Stay alert near school crossings and watch for students walking or riding their bikes to school. Missouri law says drivers must stop on a two-lane road when approaching a school bus from either direction when that bus is loading or unloading children. Make sure you remain stopped until children are off the roadway.
School buses are required to stop at all highway-rail grade crossings. This applies when the bus is carrying students and when it's empty. Please pay close attention when you drive. Be prepared to stop when driving near a school bus.
If your children stay home by themselves after school, take time to talk to them about their safety. Remind them to: 1) Always come straight home and report in to a parent, relative, or family friend. 2) Always lock all the doors and never let strangers into the house. 3) Never tell a stranger on the phone that they are alone or give their name.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol wants to remind drivers that the law prohibits motorists from driving their vehicles to the left side of the roadway at or within 100 feet of or at any intersection or railroad grade crossing. Passing in an intersection can result in a serious traffic crash.
The stop signs, yield signs, and speed limit signs directly impact traffic patterns. The solid yellow lines on the highways are designed to do the same. These lines indicate no passing zones and are there for your safety. Wait to pass the vehicle in front of you until you are out of the no passing zone.
A crossbuck sign gives notice to drivers of an approaching railroad crossing. Treat these signs as you would a yield sign: Slow down and look both ways before crossing railroad tracks!
Be careful when approaching railroad crossings and obey the safety devices there. A lowered crossbuck or flashing red lights are telling you to stop. Don't race a train. Be patient. Stop, Look, Listen, and Live.
October is Crime Prevention Awareness month. Be sure to check your door and window locks ... and use them! Porches, entrances, and outdoor areas should be well lit.
It's Crime Prevention Month! Good driving habits help prevent crime. Always lock your car and take the keys with you. Keep your automobile in good running condition. Park in well-lighted areas and be particularly alert when using enclosed parking garages.
Young ghosts and ghouls will be out and about on Halloween. Be safe! Stay alert for children out trick-or-treating on or near the holiday. Excited children may not look for vehicles before crossing the street.
Last year, three people died and 364 were injured in traffic crashes involving deer. The largest percentage of deer/vehicle strikes occurs from October through December of each year.
In 2006, there were 3,530 traffic crashes involving deer and vehicles. One deer strike occurred every 2.5 hours in Missouri. Drivers please pay attention when you're driving. Watch for these animals and slow down whenever you see them.
Thanksgiving affords all of us an opportunity to enjoy good food and time with family and friends. During the 2006 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 15 people were killed and 581 injured in 1,387 traffic crashes. If you're traveling this Thanksgiving, drive safely.
Every year traffic crashes involving deer occur in Missouri. Drivers are urged to stay alert. Slow down if you see deer near the road. Try to remain calm. Panicking and overreacting usually lead to more serious traffic crashes.
There doesn't seem to be enough time during the holidays. There are numerous gatherings, school activities, and holiday shopping to stress a person. But, please, stop long enough to put on your seat belt.
If you choose to celebrate the holidays with alcohol, choose to use a designated driver. The hardest part of a trooper's job is notifying a family that a loved one has died in a traffic crash.
If you drive during the Christmas holiday weekend, make sure your car is in good working condition. Be aware of changes in the weather and buckle up. If you drink, choose a designated driver and live to see another holiday.
Seat belts save lives. Please help the Missouri State Highway Patrol do the same. Buckle up. Pay attention when you're driving. If you drink, DON'T DRIVE.
Gather an ice scraper, tire chains, battery booster cables, blankets, flashlight, and a bag of sand. Put these items in your trunk, so you have them if needed.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's new safety campaign is "I'm Saving Lives. Help Wanted." Troopers save lives through education and enforcement. We're asking Missouri motorists to help save lives by wearing a seat belt, driving sober, paying attention, and being courteous.
Solid yellow lines indicate no passing zones and are there for your safety. When you see them on your side of the center line, be safe! Wait to pass the vehicle in front of you until you are out of the no passing zone.
Before you speed or try to pass other drivers who aren’t running late, remember the law! Speed limits are set for the safety of ALL drivers.
The Highway Patrol is committed to removing meth from our state. Meth labs can be found anywhere. If you suspect a meth lab exists near you, call the meth hotline at 1-888-823-6384 and report it!
Odds are you will experience being in a traffic crash. But, you don’t have to get hurt. Seat belts save lives. Buckle yours.
Missouri law requires lighted lamps any time weather conditions require use of the motor vehicle’s windshield wipers to operate safely.
Watch for solid yellow lines and observe the no passing zone. You may be running a little late now, but a traffic crash could prevent you from arriving at your destination.
A meth lab is a hazardous waste site and must be cleaned up by law enforcement. If you suspect the presence of a meth lab, call the Highway Patrol at 1-888-823-6384.
Working together, law enforcement and drivers can make our roadways safer. Troopers are saving lives. Help Wanted.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children. The worst possible place for a child to ride is in the arms of an adult. In Missouri, restraining your child when traveling in a vehicle is more than just a good idea. It’s the law.
A rainy day can result in decreased visibility. Turn on those headlights! It’s better to be seen than to be in a traffic crash.
Missouri law states drivers must yield the right-of-way to emergency service vehicles when their sirens and flashing lights are operating. Stay alert when you drive.
There are many ways to show your children you love them. One important way is to make sure they are buckled into a safety seat or seat belt every time they are in a vehicle.
