Brake for Seat Belts

Missouri traffic fatalities have decreased by 35 percent since 2005 saving 1,538 lives. Yet seat belt use in Missouri has shown no improvement. Sixty-eight percent of the people killed in traffic crashes are unrestrained representing more than two times the amount of lives we have saved with our safety initiatives since 2005.

Statewide law enforcement will join together tomorrow, Feb. 25 for an aggressive seat belt enforcement effort to get more motorists to buckle up — and save more lives.

Despite evidence proving the benefits of wearing a seat belt, it's still not clicking for nearly one in four Missouri motorists.

Seat belt use in Missouri has remained relatively unchanged in the last six years and consistently below the national average. Missouri has 76 percent seat belt use, well below the national average of 85 percent. Teens and pick-up truck drivers are among those least likely to buckle up at 66 and 61 percent.

For more information about the benefits of seat belts, visit www.saveMOlives.com.

Potholes Popping Up? Report Them!

The other day I put a soda in the freezer as a quick and easy way to make it cold. Of course in my usual forgetfulness, several hours passed before I remembered to retrieve it. To my dismay, the carbonated liquid goodness froze and expanded beyond the can’s ability to contain it. In other words, it had exploded and left me with quite a mess to clean up.

That’s very similar to what has been happening to a lot of our roads. While higher temperatures made quick work of much of the snow that blanketed Missouri in historic amounts earlier this month, it also left motorists with another travel condition to watch out for – potholes.

As the snow and ice began to melt during those warmer days, it seeped into cracks and joints in the pavement. As the temperature dropped again each night, the water would refreeze and expand in those crevices inside the pavement, causing it to bulge and fracture. The wear and tear of traffic on top made it worse and eventually chunks of the road began to fall out, just like the frozen soda blew the walls of the aluminum can out.

In the future, I can easily prevent another “blow out” in the freezer by simply not leaving my unopened can in there again. On the other hand, there’s nothing I can do to prevent a pothole from forming, but I can be on the lookout for them and report them to MoDOT so they can be fixed right away.

If you encounter a pothole, report it to MoDOT online using the “Report a Road Concern” link on www.modot.org or call 1-888-275-6636.

More Missourians Choose Travel by Train

Reliable service and reasonable fares at a time of record-breaking winter weather and rising gas prices equal more Missourians choosing to travel by train. The number of passengers on Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner trains grew 13.3 percent in January compared to a year ago. In fact, ridership on the St. Louis to Kansas City corridor has grown every month, except one, since October 2009.

One factor that continues to help the Missouri River Runner draw customers is its on-time performance, which was at 90 percent in January. Another reason is its friendly service, which received a 92 percent customer satisfaction rate in December, the fourth best out of 27 Amtrak state-supported and other short distance routes.

Growth in ridership is good news. More passengers translate to more ticket revenues, which helps keep Missouri’s costs for this state-supported service down.

The capacity and reliability of this service will continue to improve as Missouri takes on more rail improvement projects this year with funding received from the Federal Railroad Administration. Plus, many communities along the rail corridor are showing their support with station improvement projects. Altogether these improvements make the train an even more viable alternative transportation option for Missourians

So, when was the last time you rode the train? Get on board and see why more people are choosing the Missouri River Runner.

A Valuable Tool for Missourians

 

It’s been rough this winter. Snow and ice pummeled the state without mercy. Blizzard conditions smothered our roadways. Interstates closed.

But Missourians handled it. They were armed with the power of information, and the numbers prove it.

 During each snow event, hundreds of thousands of travelers turned to MoDOT’s website and social media outlets to see road conditions before they even left their homes.

MoDOT’s online Traveler Information Map, located at www.modot.org, logged a record-breaking half-million visits over a three-day period from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Statewide, MoDOT added more than 3,500 new Facebook fans and 500 new Twitter followers.

            These numbers are testimony to the common sense found in Missouri’s citizens. Over the years, they’ve learned to turn to MoDOT for travel information that could potentially save time, money and lives.

            Local weather reports and law enforcement still play a vital role in getting the message out.  Weather conditions can change in an instant and folks need to get all the info they can before making the decision to travel.  MoDOT partners with these traditional means to give Missouri the most complete picture technology will allow.

            It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago these electronic information avenues didn’t even exist. Now, they are a valuable tool for Missourians. 

Keeping You on the Right Side of the Road

If you have driven across the state of Missouri, chances are you have seen Median Guard Cable and may not even have known it.

Guard Cable has already been installed from St. Louis to Kansas City on Interstate 70. It also stretches along Interstate 44 and on Highway 63 from Jefferson City to Columbia and other major highways across the Show-Me-State.

But what exactly is Guard Cable? Watch above to find out.

Have You Seen a TowPLow in Action?

Take a peek into the world of a TowPLow driver. Have you seen one in action?

Snow Stats

It was all hands on deck last week as MoDOT crews battled one of the biggest snow storms ever to hit the state. The numbers are still coming in, but we estimate that more than 2,500 employees and 1,600 pieces of equipment were used to clear the state's 33,000-mile highway system. Workers put in more than 90,000 hours and used in excess of 30,000 tons of salt and other abrasive materials to treat state roads and bridges. Snowplow trucks logged 1.1 million miles. Overall, the estimated cost of the storm is $7.7 million.

Once the state highways were mostly clear, MoDOT staff turned their efforts to roads in 16 counties at the request of Gov. Jay Nixon. Maintenance crews opened approximately 1,200 miles of snow-covered county roads over three days.

Whenever winter weather hits, remember to turn to our Traveler Information Map at http://www.modot.org/ for the latest road conditions. You can also call our toll-free number at 1-888-275-6636.

Celebrate the Super Bowl with a Designated Driver

What’s your favorite part of the Super Bowl? Mine is definitely the commercials, with the food coming in as a close second. But, for many party-goers out there, knocking down a few alcoholic drinks may be one of their favorite ways to enjoy the big game and that can be a big problem if they plan on driving.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s largest and most entertaining national sporting events. It is also one of the most dangerous days on the roads, due to drinking and driving. This year, you can make the right call and help prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries by designating a sober driver before you begin celebrating.

Young males, ages 21 to 34, are most likely to be involved in automobile crashes, to drive while impaired and be among those least likely to wear their safety belts. Research also shows that the same group is the core audience for major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Last year in Missouri there were 37 crashes on Super Bowl Sunday that involved an impaired (alcohol and/or other drugs) driver. One person was killed and 14 people were injured.

If you are hosting the party at your place, find unique ways to recognize the designated drivers at your party:

• Give them a great spot to watch the game
• Whatever non-alcoholic beverage they are drinking, make sure their glass is always full
• Let them have the first pass at the buffet table
• Make sure their cars are easy to access when it is time to start driving people home

And always encourage all partygoers to buckle up coming and going. Remember, Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. For more information, visit saveMOlives.com.

Amazing Snow Fighters, Amazing Missourians

Making a snowman with your daughter.

Your son clinging to you as you sled down the hill.

Sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace with your spouse.

Snow storms like the one we just experienced sure aren't fun, but there are moments that make for fond memories. Most of us take these moments for granted.

The heroic men and women who take care of our roads, however, do not. In fact, they may never experience many of the winter activities the rest of us enjoy. That's because when it is snowing they are treating roads with salt, plowing and even assisting stranded motorists. They wouldn't have it any other way.

I am proud to work with these great folks. Over the past few days, faced with a historic snow storm, I have been reminded of the dedication and can-do attitude of the people who work tirelessly to keep our roads safe. Even at the darkest (or whitest) points of this storm when the wind was blowing the snow back on the highways about as quick as we plowed it off, our crews kept fighting. They were focused on holding their own in the battle knowing they would eventually win the war. And, while there is much work left to do, they are winning that war.

I have also been reminded of what great people live in the state of Missouri. The outpouring of support on MoDOT's Facebook page, through email, phone calls and other ways has been heartwarming. Most people didn't ask questions. They made a special effort to simply let our crews know they appreciated them and encouraged them to stay safe.

For the most part, people also heeded our strong cautions to stay off the roads if at all possible. Missourians recognized that the safest place to be was at home. This good old Missouri common sense limited accidents and allowed our snow crews to do their jobs.

The efforts of our crews and the support of Missourians remind us that transportation is indeed personal. In the coming months, we will talk more about why a safe transportation system with lots of options to get where you need to go has a personal benefit to each of us.

In the meantime, stay safe, stay warm and thank you for the support you have shown our amazing snow fighters.

Is Missouri Ready for Snowmageddon 2011?

Get ready for snow Missouri, as Redd Foxx might have said, this could be the big one. Whatever you call it - SnowMaggedon, SnowMG, Snonami, SnowNoWay, OhSnowYouDidn’t , or something else, it’s coming to the entire state. Just as you run to the store to clear out the bread aisle at the grocery store and grab an extra bag of salt to get ready, MoDOT is busy preparing well ahead of each storm also.

Hours before weather is predicted to arrive, MoDOT employees gather around the state to begin organizing and preparing for whatever Mother Nature is sending our way. Besides sending staff out to treat the roads when necessary, employees also check all supplies like salt, fuel, generators and equipment to ensure all levels will last through the coming weather. Staff from around the state also talk with each other to see where resources can be shared if necessary to ensure the roads will be kept as safe as possible.

Even as the bad weather finally hits, not only do you have staff working to keep you safe on the roads, but behind the scenes as well. Many employees stay on the phones, or monitor road conditions across the state in Emergency Operation Centers that will be staffed all hours of the day as needed.

Your best bet in weather like this is to stay at home. If you do need to travel though, plan ahead, take your time and know what you’re up against by checking the department’s Traveler Information Map. Located at www.modot.org, the map gives drivers an up-to-the-minute view of road conditions for major Missouri highways. Conditions for major routes across the state are color-coded to give visitors the information they need at a glance. Travelers can also call MoDOT’s toll-free number, 888-ASK-MODOT, to get road condition information.

So, grab your shovel and get ready…we are. Arrive Alive.

Got a Minute?

This week's MoDOT Minute shares some great news about Missouri's reduction in traffic fatalities and how living history will be traveling through the state very soon.

It's Personal

When it comes to transportation, it's personal. Whether we realize it or not, transportation affects the lives of each of us. It's much more than driving or using public transit. It's about your child's soccer shoes ordered online with the expectation of delivery, or the groceries you need to grab on the way home. It's the connections that keep businesses up and running. Transportation not only moves us, it makes the movement of goods and services possible.

It's our connection to work, safety and economic growth.

MoDOT Director Kevin Keith presented the personal side of transportation today at the 2011 Missouri Conference on Transportation. Missouri organizations like the Farm Bureau, State Highway Patrol, Transportation Alliance and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry gathered to discuss meeting the demands of a diverse population, ensuring economic growth and global competitiveness.

Keith pointed out that it really comes down to two choices. Door number one opens to the choice of doing nothing - Missourians lose the transportation gains we've made, such as smooth roads and fewer fatalities than seen in the last 50 years. We watch roads and bridges get worse, and find ourselves with the inability to attract and retain vital businesses.

Or, there's door number two. That door opens to finding a way to invest in infrastructure -- building better roads, and providing literal and figurative bridges to improve our economy.

It's a challenge in today's political and economical environment, but a plan of action is needed.

Which door will you choose?

A Great Time to Arrive Alive

Yesterday was a great day to Arrive Alive in Missouri. Several hundred of us gathered together on the court at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia to celebrate the 436 lives saved last year on Missouri roads, due to the partnering efforts of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. With the economy and all the negative things that happen, it’s not often we get to hear or celebrate positive news – so it’s refreshing to concentrate on the fact that we are making positive changes in our state.

In fact, due to changes we’ve made and a lot of people working together, we’ve reduced roadway fatalities from 1,257 in 2005 to 821 in 2010. That means 1,538 people made it home to their families who otherwise might not have, and this is an overall decrease of 35 percent. The coalition, of which MoDOT is a partner, set a goal of 850 deaths or fewer by the end of 2012, and we actually met that goal two years early!

The coalition credits a combination of law enforcement, educational efforts, emergency medical services, engineering enhancements and public policy as the successful formula for saving lives. In 2007, Missouri recorded fewer than 1,000 fatalities for the first time in more than 15 years. This allowed the coalition to meet an ambitious goal one year early. In October 2008, the coalition announced a new goal for traffic fatality reductions at 850 or less by 2012. The last time Missouri reached less than 850 fatalities was 1949.

Besides law enforcement and education, other measures aimed at decreasing fatalities and serious injuries for this year include focusing on topics like run-off road crashes, distracted driving, impaired driving, and new engineering solutions for decreasing traffic crashes.

For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com. Buckle Up to Arrive Alive.

I Told Congress

As Congress begins work on a new transportation bill, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has launched a social media campaign to generate your thoughts about what the priorities should be.

They are looking for anyone who is affected by transportation in the U.S. (and that's everyone!) to participate and offer your input. Share your comments and concerns at www.transportation.org/IToldCongress.

The campaign is designed to give America's transportation users a voice in the debate about how to fund and shape the nation's federal highway and transit programs.

So what do you have to say?

Way To Go!

You did it!  Thanks to your votes and your support, Missouri won Union Pacific's Great Excursion Adventure and their legendary steam locomotive will now travel to more than 60 stops in the state. The steam train brings out thousands of rail fans and kids of all ages to see a living piece of American history.


After participants voted more than 178,000 times in the final round, the winning route is the Little Rock Express. It edged the Tuscola Turn by 3,042 votes to win.

Look for the actual dates of the excursion in the coming weeks on UP's facebook page, the Missouri River Runner facebook page, or check back here. Thanks for routing the steam!

More CMV Drivers are Buckling Up

Professional drivers are leading by example. The buckle-up rate for Missouri CMV drivers is up to 80.6 percent while 76 percent of other drivers make it click.

Tanker, bus, double trailer, box and flat trailer haulers are the shining stars in the seat belt survey. Dump truck drivers' still have a lot of clicking to do – their seat belt usage was the lowest at 57.5 percent.

Federal motor carrier regulations make failure to use a seat belt a primary enforcement offense - meaning that an officer can pull a driver over for no other reason than the lack of belt use. A seat belt citation can be costly and affect both drivers' and companies' federal safety scores.

Commercial motor vehicle drivers spend entire work days behind the wheel. With so much time spent in their vehicle, it's important that they protect themselves by buckling up. Seven out of 10 Missourians killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled.

The safest place for you to be in a crash is behind a buckled safety belt. Besides keeping you from smashing around the cab – or ejecting and being crushed – during a crash, it keeps you in a position to possibly regain control and avoid secondary collisions - so even more travelers get to Arrive Alive.

Safety is primary. So is the seat belt regulation for commercial drivers. Buckle up and Arrive Alive.

Bring a Union Pacific Steam Train to Missouri!

There are only three days left for you to vote to route the steam to Missouri. That's right! You have an opportunity to bring a Union Pacific Steam Train to more than 60 Missouri communities. The steam train brings of rail fans and kids of all ages to see a living piece of American history right here at home.

Want to see it for yourself? Vote today for the "Little Rock Express," and voters can continue to vote each day. You can even encourage your friends to vote by sharing the http://www.upexcursion.com/ link on Facebook and Twitter!

Voting continues through midnight on January 17. Vote today to route the steam!

A Parent's Nightmare

“Sure, honey, I can take all four of our kids to the store with me.” 

Yeah, I am a glutton for punishment. 

Levi rides in the cart until he sees the toys.  Emma opens the cookies and I end up paying for an empty box.  Zoe doesn’t understand why we can’t buy every single item she lays her eyes on.  Noah, well, he just wants to be anywhere else on the planet than the store.  It’s chaos, but we usually make it through unscathed.

I move fast down the aisles, making periodic checks on all four kids.  Levi: check.  Noah: check.  Zoe: check.  Emma.   Emma?  She was on my right!  Where is she?!  The panic slaps me in the face.  Every other thought flushes from my brain and the heat pulses through my body.  My heart leaps and my stomach sinks.  As a parent, a protector, the shock of loss is primal.  The horror of the moment reaches from the depths and squeezes.

It’s always the same vision:  a stranger, with my baby, heading out the front door.  In a moment, they’re gone.  Forever.

My physical reactions and mental breakdown seem to last an eternity, but really it’s only one or two seconds.  I turn around.  Emma strolls a few feet behind, eating cookies, oblivious to the slobbering mess her father has become.  My chest loosens and the ghastly thoughts melt away.

But what if I turned around and she wasn’t there?  What if my worst fears became all too real and she was just… gone?

It’s something no parent should have to face.  Yet it is a reality and MoDOT plays a vital role in helping find abducted children.  MoDOT uses its permanent electronic message boards along Interstates 70 and 44, as well as in St. Louis and Kansas City, to post Amber Alerts.

The AMBER Alert program was created in 1996 following the abduction of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas. The purpose of the plan is to provide a rapid response to the most serious child abduction cases.  Since its creation, the AMBER Alert program is credited with the successful recovery of 523 children.

 

January 13^th is AMBER Alert Awareness Day.  This is a time to remind people about the program and help make sure that when a parent’s momentary panic becomes real, we have a line of defense to get their child back.

Written by Mark Baumgartner, Multimedia Services

Emergency Markers Make for a Still Merry Christmas

It was a cold evening on Dec. 23, and my husband, my three small children and I along with our big, red dog, luggage and Christmas gifts were all packed tightly into our minivan and traveling on Interstate 70 to visit relatives. I was enjoying my early Christmas gift of a personal DVD player with the headphones on (have you ever traveled with small kids?), when my husband tapped my shoulder and informed me that our vehicle had um, well, quit working. So with children screaming, and the dog barking, I called roadside assistance for help and when they asked us exactly where we were. The one happy moment in this whole situation was that I was able to look out my window and read the information off the nearest emergency reference marker.

Roadside reference markers originally were installed on 1,200 miles of Missouri interstates in 2006 to replace older markers and to save time, money and most importantly- lives!

The markers provide the road’s name and direction of travel, information that the old mile markers lacked. The signs are installed every 0.2 miles, as opposed to every mile, to provide motorists more accurate location information in emergency situations. The markers also replace the white reflective posts, which were installed every 0.1 mile. The new signs are larger, more durable and reflective and require less maintenance, which will save the department money and improve safety.

Thankfully, ours wasn’t an emergency situation, but as many travelers have found, these markers are a big help in emergencies. Emergency responders have been able to get to incidents more quickly thanks to the information from these markers.

Overall, the new markers also save MoDOT maintenance costs because the department will use only half as many devices, which means fewer obstacles to mow around and less maintenance work needed. In addition, the new signs are expected to last up to 10 years, compared to the average two-year life expectancy of the old signs.

Missouri was one of the first states in the nation to make extensive use of these markers, but other states are now using them in growing numbers.

So while Christmas 2010 will still go down as being one of the most expensive holidays ever in our family’s history (due to vehicle repairs and not gifts), it was still a merry one thanks to getting where we needed to be safely.

Snow Shoveling Secrets

Once should be enough when it comes to shoveling snow out of your driveway after a winter storm. Unfortunately, that snow can end up re-deposited across your driveway entrance when snowplows begin to clear your street. Here's a simple solution to help you avoid a second round of shoveling.