The “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” are designated as the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
According to MoDOT, these days cover the summer travel season, and are historically a deadly time on the nation’s roadways. During this time in 2019, there were 291 fatalities on Missouri’s roadways. That’s nearly three lives lost each day during that timeframe.
As they continue their work toward a goal of zero fatalities on roadways, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety want to urge all who travel in and around the Show-Me State this summer to buckle up, slow down, drive sober and never drive distracted.
They say distracted driving, excessive speed and following too closely are three of the main causes of crashes, particularly in and around work zones. Drivers are reminded to pay attention to warning signs, obey the speed limit and put their phones down. They also say in every instance, wearing a seat belt is a must. Of the drivers and passengers killed in 2020 traffic crashes, 66 percent were not wearing a seat belt.
Information on all MoDOT work zones statewide is available on the department’s Traveler Information Map. The map is available as a free app for iPhone and Android phones. Motorists also can call MoDOT’s 24/7 customer-service toll-free number (888) ASK-MoDOT (275-6636).