Drive Safe Drive Smart

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Drive Safe. Drive Smart.

Approximately 62% of Missouri college students drive a vehicle while attending classes on campus.

Driving is more than getting from point A to point B - it's a daily decision that impacts your safety and the safety of others.  Driving smart means staying focused, avoiding distractions, never driving under the influence, and making responsible choices behind the wheel.  

By buckling up, following traffic laws, and recognizing when stress, fatigue, or impairment may affect your reaction time, you help create safer roads for everyone.  

Missouri Data

In 2023 there were 359 speed related fatalities in Missouri.5

Of Missouri students who drive a vehicle while attending classes at their university:

Never Text and Drive Never Talk on a Phone while Driving Always Wear a Seatbelt
28% 12% 89%

 

Smart driving starts with simple actions:

  • Put your phone away - no texting, snapping, or scrolling
  • Never drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or impairing medications.
  • Plan ahead for a safe ride before going out.
  • Avoid driving when tired, stressed, or emotionally overwhelmed
  • Always wear your seatbelt- every seat, every time.
  • Follow speed limits, especially in campus zones and neighborhoods
  • Stay alert for pedestrians, cyclist, and scooters
  • Use rideshares, UBER, designated drivers, or campus safety transportation when needed
  • Give yourself extra time to avoid rushing and risky decisions
  • Look out for friends and speak up if a ride doesn't feel safe.

Every choice YOU make behind the wheel matters!

Call a taxi/rideshare service or a sober friend to pick you up.

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

BAC is the amount of alcohol in a person’s body. A 0.08% BAC is the legal limit for those 21+ driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while impaired (DWI). The legal limit for those under 21 is 0.00% BAC.

Designated Driver

A designated driver is someone who has not consumed any alcohol and/or other drugs, not the person who is “least drunk.” A designated driver is 100% sober.

Impaired Driving
  • Every day, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 42 minutes. In 2023, 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths.1
  • 56% of drivers involved in serious injury and fatal crashes tested positive for at least one drug (such as marijuana/cannabis).2
Distracted Driving

The risk of being involved in a critical crash is  23 times greater  if the driver texts while driving.4

In 2024, reports showed that there were roughly 400,000 accidents caused by distractions, with cell phones being the primary distraction. With this, there were nearly 3,000 deaths attributed to distracted driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports that 14% of all traffic related fatalities were from distracted driving.4

Seatbelt Use

For a front seat passenger vehicle occupant, safety restraints can reduce the risk of fatal injuries by  45% . Although approximately 92% of people wear seatbelts, millions do not.3

Data is from the 2025 Missouri Assessment of College Health Behaviors (MACHB) survey

 

Take a look at Partners in Prevention 2025 At a Glance: Driving

Visit Drive Safe Drive Smart / Partners in Prevention for more information about safe driving.

Other Resources:

Here is a great checklist for college drivers: College Student’s Car Prep Checklist! | HEART Certified Auto Care