Safety Issues

It is believed that 90 percent or more of all crashes are attributable in part to driver behaviors, so the word “accident” is not an appropriate term to describe motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). Driver error often causes collisions, which means the majority of crashes are preventable. Although engineers, scientists and law makers have been successful at making many safety improvements to roadways and vehicles, it is the responsibility of motorists to drive vehicles in a safe manner that will not cause property damage, human injury or death.

There are many driving behaviors and issues that concern safety advocates in the Kansas City region. Knowing the consequences of these behaviors and learning appropriate driving skills will help the Kansas City area reduce the financial, social and health-related costs of MVCs.

	Animal Collisions Most deer crashes — 44 percent — occur from October through December each year.		Pedestrian Safety * Pedestrians and bicyclists make up more than 14 percent of highway-related fatalities each year.
	Beginning Drivers Two out of five deaths among U.S. teens result from motor vehicle crashes.		Red Light Running Two out of three Americans witness drivers run red lights every day.
	Bicycle Safety * Bicyclists and pedestrians make up more than 14 percent of highway-related fatalities each year.		Safety Belts * The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates seat belts saved 147,246 lives from 1975-2001.
	Impaired Driving * One alcohol-related motor vehicle death occurs every 33 minutes in the U.S.		Work Zone Driving More than 40,000 people are injured each year in work zone crashes.
	Inattentive Driving Some form of driver inattention is involved in 25 percent of police-reported crashes.

* Destination: Safe regional priorities