March 29, 2022 – For immediate release
Kansas City – The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol have teamed up to educate motorists of the dangers of aggressive driving in hopes of reducing crashes and saving lives on Missouri’s highways. Efforts will target three sections of Interstate 70 in the Kansas City area identified as some of the deadliest in the state.
Missouri’s traffic fatalities surpassed 1,000 in 2021 for the first time in more than 15 years, and 2022 is already on pace to see another increase.
“Speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving are the main contributing factors to these fatal and serious injury crashes,” said Nicole Hood, MoDOT’s state highway safety and traffic engineer. “Every driver has a role to play to reverse this trend, and this partnership is an opportunity to bring that message straight to some of the most dangerous corridors.”
MoDOT and MSHP have identified the interstate corridors with the highest crash numbers and instances of traffic violations. Beginning in April, they will target these areas in a focused education and enforcement effort. Troopers and local law enforcement will communicate to drivers in the area the importance of obeying all traffic laws, for their safety and the safety of those around them.
In Jackson County, law enforcement will dedicate efforts to the following corridors, where they reported five fatal crashes and 48 serious injury crashes from 2018-2020:
- I-70: mile marker 17-22 (west city limits of Blue Springs to east city limits of Blue Springs)
- I-70: mile marker 10.5-17 (west city limits of Independence to east city limits of Independence)
- I-470: mile marker 5-10A (CST View High Drive to Colbern Road/I-470)
“Promoting safety on Missouri roadways has always been a priority with the Patrol,” said Capt. Steven Wilhoit, commanding officer of Troop A. “This education and enforcement campaign is aimed at reducing traffic violations and ultimately traffic crashes on these corridors.”
Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, focuses on four ways every Missourian can help eliminate traffic deaths – buckle up, phone down, slow down and drive sober. For more information on the Show-Me Zero plan and to learn how all Missourians can help make the roadways safer, visit www.savemolives.com.
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For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.