The Missouri Department of Transportation Highway Safety & Traffic Division and law enforcement agencies statewide are teaming up this month on several initiatives. The initiatives are aimed at making the roadways safer and target two of the issues Missouri Department of Transportation has recognized as contributing significantly to deaths and serious injuries on our roadways; the lack of seatbelt use and impaired driving. The first initiative is the Buckle Up Blitz, which runs March 7th through March 14th. The Missouri Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety determined that in 2021, 90% of all fatal crashes in the northeast portion of the state involved people who were not wearing seatbelts. The second is the St. Patrick’s Day DWI Enforcement Campaign, centered around the week of St. Patrick’s Day. According to MODOT, 221 fatalities in 2020 involved a substance impaired driver. While alcohol impaired driving has decreased through the years, impairment by other drugs has increased dramatically. The third initiative is the Youth Seatbelt Enforcement Campaign, March 15th through March 31st. According to MODOT, in 2020, 74% of teens killed on Missouri roadways were not wearing a seatbelt. For more information about roadway safety visit: savemorelives.com/mcrs.