JEFFERSON CITY â April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is warning of a rise in speeding and other reckless driving behaviors 2021. During the first quarter of the year, there were 176 fatalities in Missouri as a result of traffic crashes, according to a press release from MoDOT. Though down slightly from the first quarter of 2020, officials remain concerned increases in speed observed during the early stages of the pandemic have carried over into 2021. Preliminary reporting indicates excessive speed played a role in nearly one-third of the traffic deaths so far this year. Unfortunately, this behavior has been exhibited even in vulnerable roadway environments such as work zones.Â