Kansas City Regional Partners Work Together to Combat Rising Traffic Fatalities

 

KANSAS CITY, MO —Despite traffic volumes dropping dramatically in 2020 because of the impacts of COVID-19, Missouri and Kansas have both seen increases in roadway fatalities this year. That’s why Destination Safe, the Missouri and Kansas regional coalition comprised of many safety partners, has worked together to come up with a new video to remind drivers how to stay safe on roads.

 

“We are alarmed by the increase in all traffic fatalities, particularly since they occurred with reduced traffic,” said Destination Safe Coalition Missouri Co-Chair Rose Simone. “We want all motorists to remember they can make choices to stay safer on the roads.”

 

Already, 2020 has seen 402 traffic fatalities, an increase of 43 more lives lost compared to the same time last year for Missouri. Kansas has had 183 total fatalities as of June 22, which is almost 4 percent more than last year. And the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” are just beginning. This is the period covering the summer travel season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, one of the deadliest time periods on our nation’s roadways. However, Destination Safe and its partners want to remind all drivers they can make a difference in a new video by committing to these simple actions:

  • Buckle up.
  • Put the phone down and avoid other distractions.
  • Obey speed limits.
  • Never drive while impaired.

 

The video features these messages from the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Department of Transportation. The video can be found at www.marc.org/destinationsafe and on YouTube, as well as many of the coalition’s partners' websites and social media platforms.

 

The Destination Safe Coalition's mission is to reduce transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries. This effort unites federal, state, regional and local agencies to improve transportation system safety for 13 counties in the Greater Kansas City region. The coalition is also guided by the "Together Toward Zero: 2018-2022 Kansas City Regional Transportation Safety Blueprint,” which aims to reduce the number of fatalities to 197 by 2022.  

 

 

 

 

 

Districts Involved
Kansas City