How Kansas City, MO, Is Trying to Reduce Bike Accidents

Bicycle riders are “vulnerable road users,” or VRUs, meaning they are at high risk of serious or fatal injuries when involved in a crash with a

motor vehicle. Kansas City, MO, has developed an action plan to create safer roadways to protect bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike. This plan focuses on infrastructure changes that make roadways more shareable.

Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys help people who have been injured in bicycle collisions. While the city is making efforts to improve safety, crashes still occur, and our personal injury lawyers are here when you need them. We can help you seek the financial resources you need to get back on your feet after a bicycle accident.

Kansas City, MO, is one of the most dangerous cities for bike riders

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), the League of American Bicyclists ranks Missouri among the least bicycle-friendly states in the nation. This means that Missouri’s streets are among the least well-designed for rider safety and convenience.

More car accidents involving VRUs happen in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield than anywhere else in the state, in part due to the population density and traffic volume in these areas.

What is Kansas City doing to improve bicycle safety?

In May 2020, the Kansas City, MO, City Council passed a Vision Zero resolution, setting a goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. The city later finalized a Vision Zero Action Plan to guide those efforts.

Since construction projects related to Vision Zero began in 2021, Kansas City has made many improvements that should increase bicycle safety. The city has:

• 
  Upgraded traffic signals
• Redesigned and improved intersections
• Added curb extensions in some locations
• Added raised crosswalks in some locations
• Added speed humps to over 50 locations to slow speeds and improve bicycle and pedestrian safety
• Added miles of bicycle lanes

Understanding “road diets”

Road diets are a strategy Vision Zero uses to increase safety for VRUs. Road diets reduce the number of lanes of traffic, typically taking them from four to two and adding a dedicated center turn lane.

They can improve safety by:

• Creating protected left turn lanes
• Reducing street-crossing distances for pedestrians
• Reducing travel speeds can lessen crash severity
• Allowing room for the addition of bicycle lanes or parking lanes

Examples of recent road diets in Kansas City, MO, include the addition of bike lanes on Grand from 5th Street to 20th Street and on North Highland Avenue from Vivion to North East 46th Street.

Tips for helping cyclists and vehicle drivers share the road

Bicycle riders and vehicle drivers have a shared responsibility to obey traffic laws, act safely, and avoid causing collisions.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the law requires that bicyclists equip their bikes with lights and reflectors when riding at night. Bikes must also have brakes capable of stopping within 25 feet at 10 mph on clean, dry pavement.

Helmets are not required, but choosing to wear one is one of the simplest and most important ways you can protect yourself while biking.

Bicyclists should also:

• Never carry more passengers than a bike is designed to hold
• Never grab hold of or “hitch” rides with moving vehicles
• Ride with both hands on the handlebars (except when signaling a turn)
• Ride with traffic, not against
• Avoid using a cell phone or listening to headphones while riding
• Avoid the busiest roads during peak traffic times
• Avoid doing stunts or tricks on streets or sidewalks
• Keep bikes in a safe and working condition
• Ride with courtesy and caution

Vehicle drivers should interact with bicycles as they would with other cars, giving cyclists the right of way when traffic signs, signals, and the rules of the road dictate it. Drivers should also:

• Obey speed limits
• Watch for cyclists approaching from the rear
• Watch for cyclists when traveling in reverse or backing out of driveways or parking spaces
• Watch for cyclists when making left turns
• Avoid tailgating bicycles or passing them too closely

Who is liable for a Kansas City, MO, bicycle accident?

Bicycle accidents can lead to severe and catastrophic injuries, including skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and organ damage. If you or someone you love was hurt, you may face significant medical bills and a long road to recovery. If the crash was not your fault, you should not have to shoulder the burden alone.

It is challenging to hold a municipality like KC liable because of sovereign immunity. However, if a specific dangerous condition on public property caused your crash, a claim may be possible if the statutory requirements are met, including any applicable notice deadlines.

You may be more successful in holding a negligent driver financially responsible. Examples of negligence include drinking and driving, t

exting and driving, and failing to yield the right of way. Our bicycle attorneys can help you file an auto liability claim against the at-fault party, as this type of insurance applies to bike wrecks.

Our lawyers can help you investigate your case and prove your right to recover compensation. We can gather evidence, including police reports, witness statements, and video footage of the crash. But do not wait too long to reach out.

Insurance policy deadlines can be short, so you should start claims immediately. If you choose to take legal action, Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 allows five years to file most personal injury lawsuits. There are exceptions to this deadline, and you may have less time if your case is against the city.

If the statute of limitations expires and you cannot sue, you may lose much of your leverage over the insurance company, so this deadline is important, even if you do not expect to go to civil court.

Bicycle accident compensation

If you sustained injuries in a Kansas City, MO, bicycle accident, our law firm can help seek compensation for:

• Medical expenses – including current medical bills and money to pay for ongoing care needs, such as physical therapy and long-term nursing
• Lost income – including wages from missed work, lost employment benefits, and lost future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering – including stress, depression, anxiety, permanent and disabling injuries, and reduced quality of life

Contact us if you were hurt in a Kansas City, MO, bike accident

For over 30 years, Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys has fought for people in Missouri and Kansas who have been harmed by the negligent actions of others. If you or someone you love was hurt in a Kansas City, MO, bicycle accident, we can discuss your legal options and help you seek damages to pay for your medical bills and more.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We have offices in Kansas City and the surrounding communities, including Olathe, Overland Park, and Lee’s Summit.