UPDATE: Gov. Nixon involved in traffic accident

Originally published January 7, 2011 at 10:16 a.m., updated January 7, 2011 at 1:13 p.m.

UPDATE: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has been treated and released from a hospital after being involved in a traffic accident.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Nixon was a passenger in a Chevrolet Suburban driven by a patrol trooper that was rear-ended Friday morning in a three-vehicle accident. The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 50 in Jefferson City, just a few blocks south of the Capitol.

Nixon spokeswoman Christy Bertelson said it was standard procedure for the governor to be evaluated at a hospital after an accident. The patrol said the trooper also was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Bertelson said Nixon was continuing with his schedule. He was to speak Friday at high schools in the northern Missouri community of Brashear and the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin.

The Highway Patrol report can be found at:

http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=A111353F

PREVIOUSLY:

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has been involved in a traffic accident.

The governor’s office said Nixon was taken to a Jefferson City hospital, where he was treated and released, after the vehicle in which he was riding was rear-ended Friday morning in Jefferson City.

Nixon’s office said the governor is continuing with his scheduled events for the day.

More like this story

nunyabidness 2 years, 4 months ago

Told you not to text and drive, Jeffcitygirl! LOL :P (Just kidding of course...probably)

jeffcitygirl 2 years, 4 months ago

ROFL...wasn't me! I pinky swear promise I only do it at stoplights!

JCsleeper 2 years, 4 months ago

And everyone wonders why Jay prefers flying everywhere.

TrueJustice 2 years, 4 months ago

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol accident report, Gov. nixon was the only person in the car not wearing his seat belt. Should the Gov. be exempt from state laws?

JCsleeper 2 years, 4 months ago

Another case of elected officials above the law? Apparently, laws only apply to the serfs and peasants.

bluesfan13 2 years, 4 months ago

Do seat belt laws apply to back seat passengers? I don't think so.

lynnea1 2 years, 4 months ago

All passengers in a car are supposed to be restrained. An SUV can be licensed as a truck and bypass that law. If its licensed as a car, though, you can get a ticket for your unrestrained passengers. Of course, when the Higway Patrol is driving, though.....

bluesfan13 2 years, 4 months ago

Nope. From RSMO Section 307-178, Seat Belts required... Each driver, except persons employed by the United States Postal Service while performing duties for that federal agency which require the operator to service postal boxes from their vehicles, or which require frequent entry into and exit from their vehicles, and front seat passenger of a passenger car manufactured after January 1, 1968....

MK 2 years, 4 months ago

I wonder why they didn't inlcude that information within this article but pretty much every other accident with injuries or deaths that get covered we are informed as to whether the occupants were wearing seat belts or not. Was that information not released to the press, was it not asked for by the press, or was it known and left out of the article for some odd reason? Just curious.

JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago

How much damage to the Escalade?

listening 2 years, 4 months ago

Article says Gov was in a Chevy Suburban, but Patrol's accident report says a 2007 Crown Victoria.

listening 2 years, 4 months ago

Also, the 18 year old driver who rear-ended the other two vehicles appears to have 2 prior speeding convictions on Casenet, assuming it is not another person with the same name from Holts Summit.

herewego 2 years, 4 months ago

Law or not, regarding rear seat seat belts, what example is this governor setting? TV news said that belts in rear seat not required for anyone over 18, so I guess that if you're riding in the back seat you can only get ejected if you're under 18? Don't make sense, but that's your governor.

farmgirl16 2 years, 4 months ago

Agreed. People have died because they haven't been wearing their seatbelt. Hopefully, the Gov. will set a better example in the future.

mokyfellow 2 years, 4 months ago

Ye who are without sin, cast the first stone.

JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago

What's so hard about buckling up?

MK 2 years, 4 months ago

I think they should just get rid of the seat belt law for anyone who is not a minor and the lawmakers and other people who love to rub their nose in people's personal affairs should just mind their own damned business. I choose to wear mine but I don't think it should be mandated on me or the next guy. The other guy not wearing his seat belt is not going to put me in any danger. It should be each person's choice.

Meddling like this by the state ticks me off like no other. Sure, support the idea of seatbelts, educate people on both the safety and the dangers associated with their use, even go out and propagandize your position if you must but don't keep passing laws mandating this garbage on people who are fit enough to make their own choice in the matter.

Souperstar 2 years, 4 months ago

VERY well said. I have no desire to have the will of others, especially legislators and lawyers, tell me what I can and cannot do inside my own vehicle. Simply put, the seatbelt law may have good intentions but is over-stepping some more important civil boundaries.

mermaid 2 years, 4 months ago

That is fine but if you hit someone else's car and they don't have their seatbelt on, guess who gets to pay their higher medical bills? Wouldn't the law protect you also in this sense?

MK 2 years, 4 months ago

Well if that's the case then make that other driver install airbags, wear a helmet, and shoulder, knee and elbow pads and keep his kids in car seats until they are 18.

What if you hit an older person who has more brittle bones? Should we ban them from driving just in case I crash my car into them and it might cost me more money because a bone was broken on them that might not otherwise been broken on someone else?

If you hit someone and you are at fault, that's just tough luck for you. Don't go out there causing accidents and you won't have to worry about paying other people's medical bills then. That's not a seatbelt issue at all.

mermaid 2 years, 4 months ago

You didn't understand my point MK. Everyone has accidents from time to time. Sometimes it can't be helped. Other people can affect you, just as this 18yo affected the car in front of him who then hit the governor's car. The way the insurance companies pay, the kid won't pay for the governors injuries, the person behind him who was pushed into him will. If the governor had his seat belt on, it would, maybe, have protected that middle person from paying higher bills. So the seat belt law would have protected her if the governor had followed the law. Understand?

TheRickster 2 years, 4 months ago

I never used to wear my seatbelt. I was just not gonna do it! Then started wearing it and feel better. When I was younger I hated helmets also. You get a bit smarter as you age. And in some cases it is pure laziness by not wearing a seatbelt. But you go right ahead and do what you want,,and we will auction off your belongings when you crash.

mermaid 2 years, 4 months ago

I have worked numerous vehicle accidents on I-70 during my years as a Paramedic. I have only unbuckled one dead person and she died from a heart attack prior to crashing. I made my own choice to wear a seatbelt for my safety. Then there was a law passed. It didn't really effect me since I had made a choice to be safe. So, tell me about texting and driving. Seems we have a lot of people doing that and crashing. Should that be outlawed or just trust that everyone won't do it?

lovemyboys 2 years, 4 months ago

Seat belts save lives..there is no doubt about that...ask any paramedic, cop, or fireman how many people they run on that would not be six feet under if they had just buckled up. And, it does not save you in every circumstance, true...you get hit by an 18 wheeler, it probably isn't going to matter, but in rollovers and front and rear collisions with similar size vehicles, it makes a difference.

If everyone in the same vehicle doesn't wear the seatbelt, that is dangerous as well. The person NOT buckled in can become like a torpedo or a pinball ball in the vehicle injuring and even killing th other passengers even if they are buckled in.

Frankly, if people don't want to wear them, I don't care...it's their own stupidity...but if you ride in my vehicle, everyone wears it or they don't ride. Period.

Please review our Policies and Procedures before registering or commenting

Or login with:

OpenID

News Tribune

Breaking News