Colonel Michael A. Turner, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to plan for a safe 2026 Labor Day weekend.
The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort) over the Labor Day holiday weekend. The 2026 counting period for the holiday will be from 6 p.m., Friday, September 4, 2026, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 7, 2026. All available troopers will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways and waterways. Troopers on the roadways will be enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt, and impaired driving laws, in addition to being available to assist motorists.
Due to ongoing road construction throughout the state, the Patrol suggests that travelers use the MoDOT Traveler Information Map to plan their travel days. The map provides up-to-date information such as road closures, delays, construction zones, and alternative routes. You can download the app for free to your smart device or access it here. Drivers and boat operators are reminded to follow all of Missouri’s laws and to be courteous. Always wear a seat belt when traveling in a vehicle, and wear a life jacket when near, on, or in the water.
In 2025, there were nine boating crashes which included six injuries and zero fatalities. One person drowned during last year’s Labor Day holiday. Troopers arrested nine people for boating while intoxicated during last year’s counting period.
In Missouri, six people died and 423 were injured in 931 traffic crashes over the 2025 Labor Day holiday. Troopers arrested 104 people for driving while intoxicated during last year’s holiday weekend.
The public is encouraged to call the Patrol’s Emergency Report Line (800) 525-5555 or *55 on your cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency. These emergency numbers are operational for both highway and water emergencies. If your celebration includes intoxicating substances, designate someone else to drive whether you are in your boat or your car. Please don’t become a statistic.
