Eight people died in traffic crashes during the 78-hour counting period over the Christmas Holiday weekend, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 23, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 26. However, none of the fatal accidents occurred in the KMMO listening area.

In all, troopers investigated 310 traffic crashes, which included 92 injuries and four of the fatalities. There were 67 drivers arrested for allegedly driving while impaired.

There were no boating crashes nor drownings this year.

Last year during the 78-hour Christmas counting period, there were 746 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, 10 people were killed and another 10 were injured. During the 2020 Christmas holiday, troopers investigated 307 traffic crashes, which included all 10 fatalities and 86 injuries. Troopers arrested 62 people for driving while impaired in 2020.