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Kansas City, Missouri is one of the least safe cities for drivers in the U.S. Of all cities, it has the highest number of fatal car accidents involving speeding (7.07 annually for every 100,000 residents). Without a reputation for bad drivers, that number may seem confusing. That is until you find out that Kansas City has more miles of highway in city limits, per capita, than any other U.S. city with a population below one million.

The Kansas City metropolitan area stretches across the Kansas/Missouri border. And it has just over two million people total. But the part of Kansas City, Missouri, is an interesting subset. It has just 508,090 residents, but a ton of highways. Interstate 435 encircles the city while I-70 passes through it east-to-west. In addition, I-35 travels north-to-south through Kansas City and I-29 travel norths from the city.

This city, at western edge of Missouri, once had a wild reputation. In the 1920s, journalist Edward Morrow said, “If you want to see some sin, forget Paris and head to Kansas City.” He was referring to the town’s lax approach to Prohibition laws which resulted in a ton of bars, jazz clubs, gambling establishments, and even brothels. While Morrow may have been correct, it’s still unclear whether he meant the catchy quote as an insult or compliment. Today, it still has museums celebrating its rich jazz history–including the location of Charlie Parker’s first paying gig.

Kansas City’s 1920s crowds also came for auto racing. The Kansas City Speedway was a wood-surfaced racing track with a 50,000 seat capacity. It opened in 1922 and was one of just 20 of its kind in the country at the time.

High speed accidents are not the only traffic problem that plagues modern Kansas City. It ranks fourth in the nation for number of fatal car accidents involving a drunk driver (5.34 per 100,000 residents) and fifth highest for number of fatal car accidents (15.71 per 100,000 residents) as well as fifth highest for number of people killed in those crashes (16.85 per 100,000 residents). Overall, Forbes ranked Kansas City, Missouri, the fifth most dangerous city for U.S. drivers.

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.