Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Kansas City, MO

Car crashes happen remarkably frequently in Kansas City, Missouri, with a significant number of them resulting in either serious injuries or death. In 2020, Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded over 500 fatalities, 97 of which occurred in the Kansas City area alone – accounting for nearly 20 percent of the state’s total.

As any Kansas City car accident attorney will attest to, motor vehicle accidents — regardless of their severity — occur as the result of at least one or more contributing factors. 

Though each collision may involve a different combination of those factors, some of the circumstances that increase the chance of a collision taking place in Kansas City arise far more frequently than others.

10 Common Factors Behind Car Crashes In Kansas City

Any of the ten conditions below will increase the chances of a motor vehicle crash happening in Kansas City:

1. Drunk Driving

Alcohol consumption dulls the senses and impairs a driver’s judgment behind the wheel, causing them to be more likely to misread a situation and respond inappropriately to what is going on around them. 

With that being said, alcohol consumption is a leading contributing factor to car accident injuries and fatal crashes across the country, and Missouri is, of course, no exception. 

In 2019, over 14,000 individuals were arrested for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. That same year, 235 individuals throughout Kansas City and the state lost their lives in wrecks involving drunk drivers.  

2. Impaired Driving

Besides alcohol, substances like marijuana, illegal drugs, and even prescription medications can affect your judgment and diminish your reflexes to varying extents. For example, certain drugs and substances known as depressants slow down your ability to think and react, making it more challenging for you to respond to a situation on the road safely.

You cannot conflate the legality of possessing and using a substance with your ability to use that substance while driving. Even though it may be legal for you to consume or possess some of them, it remains illegal to operate a vehicle while impaired by them.

3. Driving While Drowsy

Drivers do not always appreciate the importance of sleeping well before getting behind the wheel. When you are tired, you are prone to moments of inattentiveness and can easily miss other motorists or people crossing through the roadway. In addition, your reflexes are slowed, meaning you are less likely to respond to such hazards and dangers in time to avoid a collision.

4. Distracted Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that, of the total number of traffic fatalities that occurred nationwide during 2021, 3,522 were attributable to distracted driving. 

Though the use of a cell phone to check or send messages is perhaps the most common example of distracted driving, other activities — such as eating or applying makeup — can have a similarly dangerous effect when done while driving.

All of these behaviors take your focus, attention, or hands away from the tasks involved with safe driving, thus making collisions more likely.

5. Speeding

Choosing to disobey the speed limit for any reason means taking on the increased risk of colliding with another vehicle. The faster you choose to go, the less time you give yourself to notice other cars entering your line of sight and the longer it will take your vehicle to come to a stop safely.

Furthermore, your vehicle’s steering wheel and brakes respond differently at drastically high speeds than they do at those under the speed limit. As such, failing to account for these different handling characteristics can increase the likelihood that you lose control of your vehicle and crash.

6. Right-of-Way Violations

Intersections are a prime location for accidents whenever the rules of the road are not obeyed. Right-of-way laws in Missouri inform drivers which vehicle is permitted to proceed before others when two or more of them reach the same spot while traveling in opposite directions. Forgoing these laws is another common circumstance that leads to collisions, especially in busy, traffic-congested areas like Kansas City.

7. Improper Lane Changes

The act of changing lanes on a highway also represents another opportunity for crashes to occur. Most highway accidents take place because drivers do not check their blind spots for other vehicles before changing lanes, though collisions are also likely if a driver switches lanes suddenly without first signaling their intention.

8. Inadequate Vehicle Maintenance

Failing to keep up with basic vehicle maintenance can make your car unsafe on the road. Inspect your tires and brakes regularly and replace them — along with any other worn parts — whenever necessary. You do not want these parts to fail in a moment when you need to stop suddenly or make an aggressive maneuver to avoid a collision. 

9. Poor Road Design and Lighting

Even the roads you drive on can play a significant role in determining whether a collision takes place, especially at night. Poorly lit roads that do not have clear markings can confuse and distract drivers, causing them to unintentionally make sudden and unsafe movements as they attempt to comply with traffic laws on that particular roadway.

In addition, a road that lacks adequate lighting can make it more difficult for drivers to see potential hazards and obstacles, further increasing the likelihood of an unintentional collision or crash.

10. Weather Conditions

The last condition to be aware of is the weather, which is always creating unique hazards drivers must contend with to drive safely. Kansas City is no stranger to rain, sleet, ice, snow, and fog, any of which can make roads slippery and difficult to navigate. If you do not consider the current weather conditions by slowing down and giving yourself more space between other motorists, you can easily end up involved in a weather-related accident.

Many Crashes Can Be Avoided

Many of the factors above are well within the ability of drivers’ control, which means it is ultimately the decisions that motorists make behind the wheel that plays the largest role in determining whether accidents occur. Reducing the number of crashes in Kansas City, Missouri, is as simple as drivers slowing down and making more careful and considerate choices while out on the road.