A $2.69 million federal grant allows the Kansas Department of Transportation to rebuild the state’s vehicle crash information system and expand use of driver’s license scanners by local law enforcement agencies to speed reporting of accidents.
On Tuesday, Gov. Laura Kelly said funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would enable the state to overhaul the Kansas Crash Data System and better integrate the system with law enforcement agencies statewide.
“Accurate, timely data is essential for developing strategies to reduce crashes and the severity of injuries,” Kelly said.
KDOT receives electronic reports of traffic accidents from the Kansas Highway Patrol through the Kansas Law Enforcement Reporting System or KLER. Approximately half of information on Kansas crashes must be entered manually because many local law enforcement agencies don’t have electronic systems compatible with KLER.
The project includes distribution of 1,000 driver’s license scanners to law enforcement agencies to encourage adoption of electronic reporting.
“Ultimately, this initiative will streamline our current processes, improve data accuracy and provide quicker access to actionable information,” said Calvin Reed, secretary of the state Department of Transportation.
The federal program reflected a requirement in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in 2021 by President Joe Biden to issue grants to states for standardizing state crash data systems.
In 2023, KDOT’s reporting system documented 59,865 traffic accidents in Kansas. Those wrecks were associated with 387 fatalities and 19,298 injuries. Overall, there were 131,000 pedestrians or vehicle occupants involved in Kansas crashes during the year.
KDOT’s summary indicated common reasons for Kansas accidents included: inattention, 17.9%; animals, 12.8%; right of way violations, 10.9%; following too closely, 7.8%; and driving too fast for conditions, 5.5%.
In terms of traffic crashes and incidence of fatalities, KDOT said there were 10,650 collisions with deer leading to seven deaths during 2023. Other categories: fixed objects, 9,319 wrecks with 107 deaths; speeding, 4,354 and 80; heavy trucks, 3,478 and 84; overturning, 2,881 and 138; snow and ice, 2,190 and four; alcohol, 2,200 and 67; and pedestrians, 978 and 45.
This story was originally published by the Kansas Reflector.
