Missouri ranks as one of the deadliest states in the country for car accidents. This is partly due to its irregular weather patterns, multilane highways, and densely packed population. The Missouri Department of Transportation expresses the following statistics regarding Missouri car accidents in 2011:

• 1 person is killed in a traffic accident every 10 minutes in Missouri.
• 11,401 persons killed or injured in speed-involved crashes—one every 46.1 minutes.
• 3,833 persons killed or injured in drinking involved crashes—one every 2.3 hours.
• 12,960 persons killed or injured in young driver-involved crashes—one every 40.6 minutes.
• 16,176 persons killed or injured in older driver-involved crashes—one every 32.5 minutes.
• 3,599 persons killed or injured in a commercial motor vehicle involved crashes—one every 2.4 hours.
• 2,248 persons killed or injured in motorcycle involved crashes—one every 3.9 hours.

St. Louis is one of Missouri’s most dangerous cities to drive in. Chesterfield is an unassuming suburb when it comes to driving hazards. However, they still suffer accidents quite frequently:

• Chesterfield had nearly 1,500 traffic accidents in 2011 (four accidents per day).
• 204 of these crashes involved high speeds.
• 44 of these crashes involved an intoxicated driver.
• 378 were young-driver accidents.
• Two fatalities and more than 300 injuries resulted from traffic crashes in Chesterfield.

By gaining awareness about these phenomena and practicing safe driving habits, we can help to reduce these numbers and make the roads safer place.

A personal injury attorney has plenty of responsibilities. If you decide to enter the civil lawsuit process, here are some of the things you can expect from your lawyer:

• They can gather evidence and assess damages
• They can settle out of court or through presenting compensatory or punitive damages in court
• Their main job is to build a case to demonstrate liability for the truck accident
• If the case involves a death, you may end up pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit
• Your truck accident attorney will make sure you’re properly mitigating damages

If this is the case, you should follow these guidelines and submit a Driver Condition Report if necessary:

• To report an unsafe driver, you must be a physician, chiropractor, registered nurse, psychologist, law enforcement personnel, social worker, professional counselor, optometrist, physical/occupational therapist, emergency medical technician, or an immediate family member of the driver.
• You must know identification information about the driver such as name, date of birth, and license plate number. You should also gather details about their driving habits and any physical or mental disabilities that could be inhibiting their driving.
• If you meet these criteria, the next step is to fill out a Driver Condition Report (Form 4319). The form must be written and submitted to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
• Once the form is submitted, the driver will be notified of the situation by mail and given 30 days to complete a driving test. Upon completion, a government representative will decide on the driver’s license. If their license is revoked or suspended, the driver has 30 days to submit an appeal.

With crash rates increasing in St. Louis, some efforts have been made to mitigate the risk of driving.

One such effort is the Travel Safe Zones (TSZ) initiative. In 2016, a revised statute introduced a countermeasure for unsafe roads. A new sign depicting, “Travel Safe Zone | Fines Doubled” was added to roads where “fatal or disabling motor vehicle crashes exceed a predicted safety performance level for comparable roadways.” If in violation of traffic laws in a TSZ, the monetary cost of the violation is doubled.

In addition to safety initiatives, following some simple tips can help prevent both an accident and the need for a Chesterfield car accident lawyer:

• Check your fuel level regularly and your oil level weekly.
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seatbelt at all times.
• Keep jumper cables in your car in the case that you or a fellow car’s battery dies.
• Be familiar with how and when to perform CPR.
• Learn about multidistrict litigation, bellwether trials, contingency fee, and premises liability.
• If you see construction, pedestrians, or vehicles on the shoulder, stay one or more lanes away if possible.
• If you struggle with road rage, make sure you have a method of restraining yourself before you hit the road.

To stay up to date on the latest Chesterfield crime and accident news, follow the Chesterfield Police on Twitter.

For the latest on St. Louis traffic, visit KMOV’s traffic map.

If you’ve been in an accident in Chesterfield, you don’t have to fight for compensation on your own. You may be entitled to a cash settlement with the help of a Chesterfield car accident lawyer. Don’t wait for your situation to improve. Take the next step and contact TorHoerman Law, and we’ll chat with you for free.