The Kansas City Region of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety recently kicked off its new partnership of safety advocates who come together for a common purpose: to end traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Missouri public roadways.

More than 60 partners from various organizations in the nine counties of Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Platte, Ray, and Saline gathered on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the Missouri Department of Transportation Kansas City District office in Lees Summit for the first meeting of the regional coalition.

“We were so encouraged and excited to see the support from across the region for improving highway safety,” said MoDOT District Engineer Chris Redline. “Focusing on reducing highway injuries and fatalities is something we can all play a role in and make a personal difference.”

Topics covered at the meeting included local traffic issues, the Missouri Hands-Free Law, working together as partners, and the state’s Buckle-Up Phone-Down campaign. Speakers included representatives from agencies like MoDOT, MSHP, MCRS-KC board members, and a testimony from Jo Higgins-Hines whose son, Jomari Hines, passed away tragically in a car crash just 10 days after graduating from high school this past summer.

“I have a deep-seated passion for improving safety standards and achieving measurable goals for safety enhancements, with a commitment to safeguarding lives and futures,” said Ashley Stark, Director of Safety & Security at the Sedalia School District and one of the KC MCRS board members. “I am driven to serve on our coalition to promote a culture of safety in our district, ensuring every journey is a step toward a safer, more secure environment.”

The focus of the coalition is education, community outreach, enforcement, leadership, and partnerships that advance Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan. Safety campaign focuses include occupant protection, distracted driving, speed and aggressive driving, impaired driving, teen driving, older driving, pedestrians, and other road users.

Membership in the coalition is open to any person or organization in the nine counties of the Kansas City Region wishing to participate in developing and implementing traffic safety strategies. Meetings are held quarterly across the district with both in-person and virtual options. The next meeting is in January.

Get more info on the website at www.savemolives.com/mcrs/Kansas-City-Region.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.