Traffic impacts expected during holiday travel season

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ)

According to AAA, an estimated 2.3 million Missourians will travel 50 miles or more for end-of-the-year holidays, with more than 90% traveling by car. With this increase of travel, officials like the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the National Road Safety Foundation are reminding drivers to stay alert when driving.

“The holidays are always a dangerous time on the roads,” NRSF public relations director David Reich said. “People are busy, they’re rushing around, so if people are in a hurry, there’s the tendency to speed or tailgate so that can lead to a crash.”

According to a press release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 1,034 traffic crashes statewide over the 2023 Christmas holiday caused 3 deaths and 346 injuries.

Reich adds that short daylight hours and drowsy driving often increase the risk of traffic crashes and advises drivers to plan ahead and leave early if possible to prevent speeding.

“We are in the dead of winter, we’ve got the shortest days of the year on us at this point, so that means that there’s much more driving in darkness and when you’re driving in the dark, it’s always a little bit riskier,” Reich said.

MoDOT also reminds drivers of potential traffic impacts on their holiday commute. I-70, between Columbia and Kingdom City, is still under construction and drivers should expect narrowed lanes and a reduced speed limit.

U.S. 63 is also in construction between the Broadway overpass and the Conley Rd. underpass. Traffic is shifted and is briefly reduced to one lane where slows can occur.

According to MSHP, in a traffic emergency, drivers should contact the station for help.