ROAD SAFETY ANALYSIS
Kansas Road Safety Analysis
Behavioral Insights Powered by StreetVision
The following road safety report evaluates road risk events in Kansas from January 2026 through March 2026. It examines phone distraction rates, intersection-level hard braking activity, and corridor-level speeding patterns to determine where risk is most concentrated.
The report leverages insights from CMT’s StreetVision, an AI-powered behavioral analytics platform that provides decision-ready insights into roadway risk before crashes occur. Transportation officials use StreetVision to identify hotspots, prioritize high-impact safety interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures.
Here is a snapshot of our findings — covering distraction benchmarking, county-level concentration analysis, high-risk intersection identification, and corridor speeding patterns.
01 PHONE DISTRACTION
Monthly distraction rates: A comparison to the national benchmark
In January 2026, drivers in Kansas recorded 21.4 phone tapping events per 100 miles, compared to the national average of 23.55, placing the state 9.1% below the US benchmark.
In February, the rate was 21.95, a 2.57% increase from the prior month, and 8.8% below the national average.
By March, phone tapping events decreased to 21.54 events per 100 miles, marking a 1.9% decrease from February. It was 9.4% below the US average.
phone tapping events per 100 miles
02 COUNTY ANALYSIS
County-level insights reveal concentrated rates of distracted driving
Across the three-month period, Kansas averaged 21.63 phone tapping events per 100 miles, though county-level data shows wide variation around that benchmark.
The most distracted counties, led by Morton, Grant, and Seward, recorded distraction rates roughly 54% – 58% above the state average, highlighting concentrated pockets of elevated risk.
In contrast, the least distracted counties, led by Sumner, Osage, and Lincoln, reported rates roughly 22% – 26% below the statewide average, underscoring a clear regional divide in driver behavior.
phone tapping events per 100 miles
Highest Distraction
Morton County
34.1
+57.65%Grant County
33.6
+55.34%Seward County
33.3
+53.95%Comanche County
32.7
+51.18%Finney County
27.5
+27.14%Lowest Distraction
Sumner County
17.0
-21.41%Osage County
16.9
-21.87%Lincoln County
16.1
-25.57%Wabaunsee County
14.8
-31.58%Chase County
13.4
-38.05%
03 HARD BRAKING
High risk intersections: Where hard braking signals elevated crash risk
Intersections account for roughly 25% of all US traffic deaths and 50% of all traffic injuries. Hard braking often signals near-miss events, making it a leading indicator of elevated crash risk.
An analysis of Johnson County intersections found West 119th Street & Cherokee Lane to be a high-risk hotspot, with 390.6 hard braking events per 100 miles driven.
highest risk
West 119th Street & Cherokee Lane
390.6
hard braking events / 100 mi
other high risk intersections in Kansas
Hard Braking Events per 100 miles
Locations with persistently high hard braking activity are widely recognized as candidates for proactive intervention — where targeted engineering improvements, enforcement visibility, or behavioral countermeasures may reduce crash risk before crashes occur.
04 SPEEDING PATTERNS
When & Where Speeding Risk Peaks
Speeding behavior in Kansas follows identifiable time-of-day and corridor-level patterns, creating predictable windows of elevated risk.
On I-70 near the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS (70 mph), speeding peaks on Mondays at 5:00 a.m., when 10.4% of driving time exceeds 10 mph over the limit. Additional elevated speeding periods include Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. and Mondays at 8:00 a.m.
These patterns provide actionable intelligence for speed studies, high-visibility enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and resource allocation decisions.
CORRIDOR ANALYSIS
I-70
Posted speed limit: 70 mph
Mondays: 5:00 a.m.
10.4%
of driving time exceeds the posted speed limit
Thursdays: 8:00 a.m.
10.4%
of driving time exceeds the posted speed limit
These patterns provide actionable intelligence for speed studies, high-visibility enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and resource allocation decisions.
05 SCHOOL ZONES
How fast are drivers going in school zones?
We analyzed speed distribution in the school zone at Turner Elementary School on S 55th St in Kansas City, KS. Our analysis found that 13% of drivers exceed the 20 mph speed limit during school hours. Mondays at 6:00 a.m. had the highest rate of speeding, with 100% of drivers going over the limit.
Understanding how frequently speeding occurs during school hours helps traffic engineers determine whether stronger safety measures are needed to better protect vulnerable road users.
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