Safety Planning Program
The Kansas City region averages approximately 233 deaths and
1,770 disabling injuries per year based on a three-year average. Not only are drivers, passengers and their families afflicted with the physical trauma and emotional pain of these incidents, but everyone pays with higher insurance premiums, increased medical costs and time delays caused by MVCs.
These statistics do not capture transportation incidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians. Many crashes do not involve a vehicle and are never reported to local police. The magnitude of the transportation safety problem in the Kansas City region is not fully understood.
Federal Emphasis
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) emphasized the need to address safety in the planning and programming of transportation investments. The reauthorization of this federal legislation, Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), further emphasizes safety and provides additional programs to improve transportation system safety.
Safety Planning in the Kansas City Region
The quality and function the region's transportation system relies on the overall safety of the system and its parts. The region aims to decrease serious injury and fatality crashes of all types.
MARC's long-range transportation plan, Transportation Outlook 2040, includes a goal to improve safety and security for all transportation users. The safety chapter of the plan examines transportation-system safety and identifies strategies to help improve transportation safety.
The Kansas City region’s efforts contained in Destination Safe energize MARC’s safety-conscious planning efforts. The planning, coalition building, education and implementation components executed under this regional initiative assists area residents in achieving its regional goal contained in Metro Outlook where the quality of life in the Kansas City region is rising for everyone.
For more information about MARC’s Transportation Safety Planning Program, contact Aaron Bartlett or Ron Achelpohl at 816/474-4240.
LATEST NEWS
Safety report shows region has made progress in 4 of 5 high-priority areas
2013 Distracted Driver Pilot Survey (pdf)
The Destination Safe Coalition's 2012 Annual Safety Report, prepared by its Transportation Safety Data Task Team (TSDTT) supplements the Kansas City Regional Transportation Safety Blueprint. The report provides an annual snapshot of fatality and injury-crash trends within the region’s high-priority areas. Blog post››
Destination Safe Coalition members honored for efforts to promote safe driving
The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety recognized two members of the region’s Destination Safe Coalition at its Blueprint to Save More Lives Conference last week. More ››
Destination Safe to fund projects that prevent roadway deaths and injuries
The Destination Safe Coalition is now accepting funding proposals for public education and safety enforcement progams in fiscal year 2014 that help reduce fatalities and serious injuries in the Kansas City region, based on high-priority areas identified in the Kansas City Regional Transportation Safety Blueprint. Destination Safe developed the blueprint, which outlines primary transportation safety issues and potential solutions.
Details ››
Latest fatality report
Roadway fatalities have been on the decline in Greater Kansas City for the past five years. Get preliminary regional crash statistics. More ››