As Kansas City Improves Its Roads, Let’s Improve Our Safe Driving Habits
If you’re a Kansas City commuter, you already know the drill. What starts as a routine drive to work can quickly turn into a major roadblock—both figuratively and literally—when you hit one of the many construction zones scattered across the city. Unfortunately, running late isn’t your only concern. Work zones also pose a significant risk for car accidents.
While these projects will ultimately improve road safety and traffic flow, they often have the opposite effect during construction. In 2024 alone, Missouri recorded 2,495 work zone crashes, while Kansas saw 1,705, resulting in over 500 injuries.
Construction zones are designed with driver and worker safety in mind, but law violations, distracted driving, and challenging road conditions still lead to collisions. Our Kansas City car wreck lawyers created this guide to help drivers understand the heightened risks of construction zones and how to navigate them safely.
If you’ve been injured in a construction zone accident, contact Wallentine Injury Law today. Our attorneys and paralegals will help determine liability and whether negligence played a role in your case.
Current Construction Zones in the Greater Kansas City Area
As mentioned earlier, the greater Kansas City area—spanning both Missouri and Kansas—is currently experiencing significant impacts from ongoing construction. Many of these projects fall under the city’s broader Vision Zero initiative, which strives to eliminate all traffic fatalities.
Some of the major projects currently underway in the KC metro include:
- Improve I-70 Kansas City – A joint project by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) focused on enhancing road safety between The Paseo Boulevard and U.S. 40/31st Street.
- 69 Express in Overland Park – A Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) project designed to improve traffic flow and safety through new express lanes.
With hundreds of construction projects taking place across Kansas City at any given time, but often beginning in the spring, it’s impossible to list them all here. For the most up-to-date information, visit MoDOT and KDOT’s official websites for live updates on current road work.
What Typically Causes Accidents in Construction Zones?
Although construction zones are designed with extensive safety precautions to promote secure driving conditions, certain factors still make them high-risk areas for crashes. The following common roadway changes often contribute to accidents in work zones:
Narrow Lanes
Work zones frequently require lane reductions to allow for shoulder or median improvements. These narrower lanes demand heightened focus from drivers—just one small steering error can result in a collision with a temporary barrier, often made of concrete. When large commercial trucks are added to the mix, the margin for error becomes even smaller.
Lane Closures
Lane closures are another major cause of work zone accidents. Drivers who fail to merge properly or attempt to rush through the area often cause severe traffic slowdowns and rear-end collisions. Additionally, detours resulting from lane closures can leave motorists navigating unfamiliar routes, increasing the likelihood of crashes.
Speed Changes
Due to uneven pavement, lane reductions, and other temporary conditions, construction zones often require significant speed adjustments. Sudden slowdowns or drivers ignoring reduced speed limits can quickly lead to collisions, particularly when other motorists are distracted or following too closely.
5 Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents in Kansas City Construction Zones
With construction projects continuing throughout the Kansas City area, it’s more important than ever to practice safe driving habits in work zones. While our Kansas City car accident lawyers have outlined five key tips to help you avoid work zone crashes, one principle stands above the rest—patience.
Remember, every driver around you is navigating the same challenges. By staying calm, alert, and considerate, driving through construction zones can become a safer and less stressful experience.
Consider the following five tips to help prevent accidents the next time you encounter a construction zone in the Kansas City metro area:
1. Slow Down
Construction zones present increased hazards, from altered road conditions to workers and equipment near traffic. For this reason, advisory speed limits are posted by the appropriate governing authority and must be followed—they are not suggestions. In Missouri, speeding in a work zone carries a minimum fine of $250, while Kansas doubles the fine and may add an additional $50.
These penalties exist for a critical reason: speeding in work zones endangers lives. By reducing your speed, you give yourself more time to react to changing road conditions, fluctuating traffic, and vehicles entering or exiting the work zone, significantly lowering the risk of an accident.
Note: Don’t drive too slowly. A slow vehicle on a highway can be just as dangerous, if not more! Drive at a speed that is reasonable for the situation.
2. Follow Road Signs and Signals
Beyond observing posted speed limits, it’s equally important to follow all other road signs and signals within construction zones. While these signs vary in size and shape, they are typically orange with black lettering to alert drivers of temporary conditions ahead.
Recognizing and responding appropriately to work zone signage can be the difference between a safe, uneventful drive and a serious wreck.
See the graphic below for examples of common road work signs to watch for.
3. Merge Late
A key strategy for safely navigating work zones is to merge late. Construction areas often feature narrowed or closed lanes, requiring drivers to move into the open lane(s). While the term “late” might seem counterintuitive, it is the recommended approach for maintaining traffic flow and reducing congestion.
Both KDOT and MoDOT advise drivers to use the zipper method when merging. This method involves vehicles taking turns to merge into the open lane, using both lanes fully until the point of closure.
Using the zipper method can reduce traffic congestion by up to 40% during peak periods, helping drivers save time and avoid accidents that could require the assistance of a Kansas City car accident lawyer.
4. Avoid Distractions
Construction zones feature signs such as “No Phones” or “Phones Down” for a reason—distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives nationwide in 2023 alone. With shifting speeds, work vehicles entering and exiting traffic, and inadequate road conditions, these zones demand your full attention. Texting and driving can be more dangerous than drunk driving.
Distracted driving isn’t limited to phone use. It can also include adjusting the radio, attending to children, eating, or any other activity that takes your focus off the road. When navigating a construction zone, remain fully attentive to your surroundings to ensure quick reactions to an ever-changing environment.
5. Plan Ahead
Another important tip for avoiding accidents in Kansas City construction zones is to plan ahead. When driving through a large city, it’s best to prepare by researching potential work zones along your route.
Knowing where road work is taking place allows you to allocate extra travel time, reducing the temptation to speed. It may also help you identify alternate routes that bypass construction zones entirely. Either approach can significantly lower your risk of being involved in a work zone accident.
Bonus Tip: Contact a Kansas City Car Accident Lawyer
If you followed the tips above but were still involved in a construction zone accident due to someone else’s negligence, our Kansas City car accident lawyers are here to help.
Construction zone accidents often involve multiple parties—construction companies, company drivers, and more. Having an experienced attorney on your side is essential to protect your rights, navigate liability, and pursue the compensation you deserve. We guide clients through the entire legal process to support complete recovery—physically, mentally, and financially.
Start your road to healing, free of “work zones,” with Wallentine Injury Law. Contact our Kansas and Missouri attorneys today for a free consultation at 913-934-6333 or 816-934-6333, or reach us online.
References
- 69 Express – KDOT
- Chapter 1: Moving Missourians Safely and Doing So Safely at MoDOT – MoDOT
- Improve I-70 Kansas City – MoDOT
- KC Metro Updates – KDOT
- K.S.A. 8-2118 – Kansas Legislature
- KTSRO March 2025 Newsletter – KTSRO
- RSMo 304.582 – Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Wait to Merge, Take Turns in Work Zones: Merge Like a Zipper – MoDOT
- With many construction projects ongoing, KDOT urges drivers to to ‘zipper merge’ – Sean McDowell, Fox4 KC
- Work Zones – MoDOT
- Work Zones Safety Tips – FMCSA
