Highway Patrol reports five fatalities over holiday period

(From Missouri State Highway Patrol)

Colonel Michael A. Turner, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provides the following preliminary statistics related to the New Year’s holiday:

Five people died and 87 were injured in 187 traffic crashes during the 2026 New Year’s holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2026. There were 0 boating crashes and 0 drownings over the 2026 New Year’s holiday counting period.

2026 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers investigated the following:

Traffic Crashes — 187
Traffic Crash Injuries — 87
Traffic Crash Fatalities — 5
DWI — 112

During the 2024-2025 New Year's holiday counting period one person was killed and 118 injured in 264 traffic crashes in Missouri.

Further details related to the traffic crashes and arrests can be found on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s website. 

The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news release is sent to the media.

NOTE: The New Year's holiday counting period varies from 1.25 to 4.25 days in length each year, depending on which day of the week the holiday is on.