Missouri received national recognition recently for installing median cable barriers on major highways across the state and for the efforts of the Destination Safe regional safety coalition in Kansas City.

The Roadway Safety Foundation and the Federal Highway Administration recognized the Missouri programs reducing fatalities and injuries on our nation’s highways. 

In 2003, the Missouri Department of Transportation began installing median cable barriers on all its major interstates with the highest traffic volume and most narrow medians.  The three-strand guard cable is designed to “catch” a vehicle before it crosses into the opposing traffic lanes, bringing it to a stop before it collides with other vehicles. The cable barriers have virtually eliminated crossover crashes by catching more than 95 percent of vehicles entering the median.  In 2002, there were 24 cross-median fatalities on Interstate 70 in Missouri.  In 2006, that number decreased to two.

Destination Safe is a coalition of local, regional, state and federal stakeholders in Missouri and Kansas working together to improve transportation safety in the greater Kansas City region.  The Coalition has put together the Kansas City Regional Transportation Safety Blueprint which outlines six high priority safety areas including unbelted motorists, aggressive drivers, youth and young adults, impaired drivers, pedestrians and transportation safety data. 

“We’re thrilled that our safety efforts are making an impact.  The combined efforts of so many partners throughout the state are helping Missouri motorists arrive alive,” said Leanna Depue, director of MoDOT’s Highway Safety Division.

Missouri had the largest drop in traffic-related fatalities in 2006 of any state in the nation, down by 161 compared to 2005. 

In 2003, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety was established to help safety advocates work together to reach the goal of 1,000 or fewer traffic-related fatalities by 2008.