The Missouri State Highway Patrol is taking part in a high speed enforcement campaign Friday and Saturday, July 17 and 18, from noon to midnight along with four other states: Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
Officers will focus on enforcing traffic laws related to excessive speed, hazardous moving/aggressive driving and distracted driving, according to the Highway Patrol.
According to a news release, the campaign is being conducted due what the patrol calls “a drastic increase in egregious speed and hazardous moving violations during the COVID-19 pandemic.” It says fatal crashes have increased 14 percent in Missouri compared to last year despite a period of significantly lower traffic volume.
The patrol has also seen a 58 percent increase in speeds at or above 26 mph over the speed limit from January through June 2020 when compared with the four-year average.