Areas to Avoid in Kansas City: Keeping Pedestrians and Bicyclists Safe

Top 10 Most Dangerous Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists in Kansas City 

Every city has a dangerous street. In 2019, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated 6,205 pedestrians and 846 bicyclists died in pedestrian accidents. Pedestrian accidents are the most common type of traffic accident in Kansas City. Pedestrian accidents are very common in Kansas City. The ten most dangerous Kansas City neighborhoods to avoid, according to Kansas City Star, are as follows: 

1. Independence Avenue Kansas City: This Avenue is probably the most dangerous street in Kansas City. Most of the injuries on Independence Avenue occur between Paseo and Beacon Avenue, in some of them result in voluntary manslaughter lawsuits.
2. 39th Street: This intersection has claimed approximately 80 lives of pedestrians over a decade. This is the second most dangerous street in Kansas City. The contributing factor to accidents on 39th Street is the absence of a crosswalk. The redesigning of 39th Street can help in minimizing future accidents.
3. Troost Avenue: One of the fatalist avenues for pedestrians in Kansas City is Troost Avenue. Troost Avenue has claimed more than 9 lives over the last few years.
4. Prospect Avenue: Most frequent pedestrian accidents on prospect avenue occur in the vicinity of intersections of 31st, 35th, and 39th streets.
5. Broadway Boulevard: Broadway has witnessed 73 injuries to pedestrians since 2015.
6. Blue Parkway: Blue Parkway has seen approximately five deaths between 2014 to 2018 and 53 bicycle collisions.
7. Linwood Boulevard: Linwood Boulevard is a busy street, witnessing the highest number of pedestrian crashes. There were approximately 20 crashes in 2019.
8. Southwest Boulevard: Southwest Boulevard is a famous crash street with approximately 28 pedestrians and 19 bicycle crashes in 2018.
9. Truman Road: Truman Road is another crash street with approximately 26 pedestrians and 18 bicycle crashes in 2018.
10. Main Street: Main Street is another most common accident-prone street in Kansas City, with approximately 21 crashes in 2019. 

Contributing factors to pedestrian accidents in Kansas City

The most common causes of pedestrian accidents in Kansas City are as follows:

• Distracted driving: Most of the pedestrian accidents in Kansas City occur because the drivers are multitasking i.e. texting, using cellphones, eating, changing clothes, etc.
• Reckless driving: Reckless driving also causes collisions with many pedestrians on the sidewalk. Overspeeding has claimed more than 11,258 lives on busy streets and intersections in Missouri. 
• Drunk driving: Driving under the influence (DUI) causes impairment of perception and judgment that leads to crashes with pedestrians on the pavement.
• Lack of proper safety infrastructure: Lack of adequate safety infrastructure, such as crosswalks, traffic lights, sidewalks, etc, also contributes to how dangerous is Kansas City in Missouri.
• Weather conditions: Extreme weather situations i.e. heavy rains, slippery roads, potholes on roads, stray animals, snow, storms, etc, also lowers the visibility of the road and cause a crash to the pedestrians on the road. 

Practical Advice For Pedestrians & Bicyclists Who May Need to Navigate These Dangerous Streets

It is daunting to navigate the busy streets of Kansas City, given that there are 856,989 registered vehicles in Kansas City. However, some practical steps can be taken by pedestrians and bicyclists on sidewalks to keep themselves safe from crashes. Some tips are as follows; 

• Stay on the sidewalk: Remaining on the sidewalk and wearing reflecting colors can increase your visibility to the drivers and reduces the chance of a crash. Eye contact with the driver while crossing the street can also be beneficial to reduce the risk of a pedestrian collision. 
• Avoid all kinds of distractions: Try to avoid distracting activities such as using phones while walking on busy streets or crossing the crosswalk. Awareness of your surrounding goes a long way to avoiding getting hit by approaching vehicles.
• Observe traffic rules: Observance of traffic rules can also help you be safe on the road. 
• Be vigilant during rush hour: The risk of an accident increases tenfold during rush hour. Staying extra cautious on the road at that time helps you prevent a pedestrian accident. 
• Be careful at intersections: Intersections pose a high risk of pedestrian accidents, so you should be careful while crossing an intersection.
• Be prepared all the time: Keep an ID on you while going outside so that if you are in an emergency, you can receive timely and proper help.  

Ultimately, if you are a pedestrian, your safety must be your top priority when on the busy streets of Kansas City. By taking these practical steps, you can reduce your risk of accidents and stay safe on the road.

Conclusion 

To conclude, Crime Grade gives an insight into how dangerous is Kansas City for pedestrians and bicyclists. Some very dangerous streets in Kansas City have statistical data to prove they are not safe for the people on sidewalks and crosswalks. The most common causes of accidents on these streets are distracted driving, speeding, bad weather conditions, drinking under the influence, etc. 

If you have experienced an injury due to an accident on a pedestrian, an expert personal injury attorney can help you win the fair compensation you deserve.