COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)
As the new school year approaches for Columbia Public Schools and the University of Missouri, safety on the roads is a growing concern.
A 24-year-old man died Thursday after being hit by a vehicle in the 4600 block of Paris Road and two women were killed Tuesday in a crash on Interstate 70 after a semi-truck collided with their U-Haul. A man from eastern Missouri was killed Wednesday after his vehicle collided with a semi-truck on Interstate 70 in Callaway County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop F — the Troop that covers much of Mid-Missouri — has reported 13 vehicle accidents this month as of 6 p.m. Friday.
Missouri has seen an alarming 89% increase in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities since 2014. In 2022, nearly 15,000 crashes in the state were attributed to distracted driving, resulting in 84 deaths and over 5,000 injuries, according to a press release from AAA.
This time of year, as children prepare to return to school, it’s important to remember that crashes are one of the leading causes of death for school-aged children, according to AAA.