Planning a road trip? There are four ways to get from Springfield, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri. It’s 99 miles if
you take Interstate 55 directly, which is roughly an hour and a half drive. It’s 108 miles if you take Highway 159 and
Interstate 55, just under two hours of drive time. It’s 133 miles if you take Interstate 70, which is a two-hour and
15-minute drive, more or less.

Route 66 can also take you from Springfield to St. Louis, including passing through an original brick section of the
road in Auburn, Illinois, dating back to 1931. You’ll also pass through Luna Cafe, frequented by Al Capone, and come to
the famous Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Driving from Springfield to St. Louis via Route 66 is about 250 miles. The halfway
point between St. Louis and Springfield is Litchfield, Illinois. Route 66, Route 16, and Interstate 55 all pass through
Litchfield.

No matter how near or far you are driving, there is always the chance of an accident disrupting your trip. If this
happens, seek help from a St. Louis car accident
attorney today.

Staying Safe on Your Drive

Vehicle experts recommend using the T.R.I.P. acronym to help prepare your vehicle for a safe road trip: tail lights/turn
signals, roadside emergency kit, inflation, and penny test.

• T – Taillights and turn signals: Make sure both are illuminating when they should be safe and avoid a “fix it”
  ticket.
• R – Roadside emergency kit: Don’t have one? Be sure to pick one up before heading out on your trip. Your kit
  should include jumper cables, flares, tow rope, and a flashlight. Bridgestone also suggests bringing appropriate
  clothes (a poncho for the rainy season, a sun hat for hot weather, for example), extra snacks, and water. Gas
  cans and blankets are also helpful.
• I – Inflation: Make sure your tires are not over- or under-inflated for better fuel economy and safety. To check
  your tire pressure, remove the air valve cap of your tire and press the tire pressure gauge into the valve
  stem—you’ll hear some air leaking. Then, you should be able to get a reading on the pressure gauge. You can find
  the recommended tire pressure online. Don’t forget to check all of your tires and put the valve caps back on.
• P – Penny test: The penny test can tell you if your tires have enough tread for a safe road trip. Put a penny
  into one of the tread grooves on your tire. If any portion of Lincoln’s head is obscured by the tread, your
  tires have enough tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace that tire. It is recommended
  to replace all four tires together, but that isn’t required.

Also, before setting out on your drive, check the weather, make sure you’ve had enough rest, ensure anything strapped to
the luggage or bike rack is secure, and remember driving tipsy and/or high is against the law.

Plan Around Traffic

Here are a few St. Louis traffic facts to consider
as you plan your trip:

• September 24th is the worst day of the year for traffic in St. Louis.
• Thursdays from 4:00-5:00 pm are the worst time of the week to drive through St. Louis.
• If you drive through St. Louis during the morning rush hour, estimate an extra minute of travel time per six
  miles driven.
• If you drive through St. Louis during the afternoon rush hour, estimate an extra two minutes of travel time per
  six miles driven.

Regarding Springfield, consider:

• In Illinois, Friday is by far the worst day to drive in both rural and urban areas
• June, July, and August are the worst months to travel in Illinois
• 8:00-9:00 am and 5:00-6:00 pm are the worst times to be on the road Monday-Thursday in Illinois

If You Get in An Accident

Remember, most accidents happen close to home, so road trips are not inherently more dangerous. If you do get into a
collision, follow these steps:

• First, Call 911 – Whether anyone appears to be injured or not, call 911 and report the accident. Many
  injuries are not going to be obvious, with bleeding and bones popping out. Whiplash, internal bleeding,
  concussions, and broken ribs are all common “invisible” car accident injuries. Having a police report of the
  crash is also important.
• Get Checked Out by a Doctor or EMT – Listen to what the medical professionals tell you—if you need to
  follow up with an x-ray or specialist, be sure to do that. Even if you don’t feel hurt, understand you’re in
  shock and might not be hurting until hours later.
• Document and Record Everything – Plan for the worst. Take a ton of photos and videos. Exchange
  information with the other driver(s). Get a copy of the police report. After you leave the accident scene,
  record relevant information in a journal or notes app (changes in your medical condition, insurance phone calls,
  estimates from body shops). Be sure to save receipts relating to hotel and meal expenses if you are unable to go
  home while you wait for vehicle repairs due to the nature of the road trip. Establishing a timeline is very
  helpful for insurance claims and any possible lawsuits.
• Call a Car Accident Lawyer – If you were injured in the crash, you should always hire a car accident
  lawyer in the locality where the accident happened. You should remain focused on your medical treatment while
  our skilled lawyers handle the legal claim process.

Ask a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney About Your Options

If you were involved in a collision on your trip from Springfield, IL, to St. Louis, MO, Burger Law can help. We offer
free, no-pressure consultations and can answer some of your questions at that time. Also, feel free to check out our “settlement calculator” to get an idea of what your
injury might be worth. You don’t pay us anything upfront, and you won’t pay anything at all if we don’t win your case.
Contact our St. Louis car accident lawyers now at 314-500-HURT (4878) or use our contact form.