Safety Solutions

There are many ways to improve safety by reducing the number of motor vehicle crashes, fatalities, injuries and economic costs attributed to bad driving behaviors. No single solution is effective without a cooperative and coordinated effort. Many are low-cost options that yield beneficial results.

These efforts involve partners in different professional sectors. Without communication, solutions might be ineffective and overlook other important safety concerns. To address the regional goal to “…improve the safety, security and well-being of the traveling public” established in Transportation Outlook 2030, the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) objective is to establish a robust, multi-faceted Transportation Safety Planning Program. This program seeks to incorporate safety information and solution seeking into MARC's transportation planning and programming processes for the Kansas City region.

These examples of safety solutions, classified into four E’s (Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Emergency Response), are seen or proposed throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. There are yet other safety solutions in effect every day.

Safety is…Education

Buckling up every time one drives
Honoring Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day on October 10
Conducting a bike rodeo for children
Hosting a Safety-Conscious Planning Course for planners and local safety partners
Organizing a Safe-Routes-to-School initiative

Safety is…Engineering

Maintaining signs and pavement markings
Using technology to notify motorists of incidents through Kansas City Scout
Establishing 2/10 mile interstate reference markers along major highways in the metro
Partnering with law enforcement to conduct the Olathe Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program
Constructing roundabouts at high crash intersections where appropriate

Safety is…Enforcement

Passing and enforcing a primary seat belt law
Meeting of local traffic enforcement officers through Operation Impact
Monitoring intersections with cameras for red-light running
Enforcing traffic regulations along I-35 throughout Kansas
Organizing visible saturation patrols across the region on major holidays

Safety is…Emergency Response

Transporting the injured to a hospital quickly
Notifying first responders of construction changes that may impact their arrival at a location
Developing an I-70 Incident Management Plan for Missouri
Assisting stranded motorists through KDOT and MoDOT Motorist Assist
Achieving a statewide goal of transporting crash victims to a trauma center within one hour