On the road and on the water, the state of Missouri is making efforts to save lives.
Last weekend, the Missouri Water Patrol had sobriety checkpoints at five popular lakes, including Smithville Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.
The numbers are striking. Of 343 boats stopped, 17 people – that’s one out of 20 – were arrested for boating while intoxicated. The same number got tickets for equipment violations (lights, flares, lifevests, etc.). Dozens more got warnings. Add it up, and more than one boat in four wasn’t entirely following the rules, and that’s a danger to everyone on the water.
This week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies kicked off an enforcement drive that runs through Labor Day. Officials say they are targeting three things that greatly contribute to wrecks that kill and injure – speed, inattention and alcohol. Those are the same three that often cause problems on the water.
Highway deaths continue to fall in Missouri – fewer than 1,000 a year – and state officials want to reduce the annual total to no more than 850 by 2012. Summer is the worst time for fatalities, and officials say that’s where improvements will have to come in order to meet that goal. Boats and cars have lots of horsepower, so take it easy. On the road, make sure everyone in your car buckles up.
Drivers and boaters need common sense, experience and prudence. Too often, its the job of law enforcement to sternly remind them of that. That’s better than pulling another body out of the water or from the twisted metal and broken glass.
