The findings were compiled in an extensive examination of state driving records by The Kansas City Star. Kansas City's appalling status contributes heavily to Missouri's poor national ranking. Only nine states and Washington D.C. fare worse than Missouri in the percentage of traffic deaths that are alcohol-related. New Year's is one of the deadliest of holidays. People stand a greater chance of getting killed by a drunken driver than of being a victim in a random murder, said Kansas City municipal prosecutor Roger Potter.
Observers are at a loss to pinpoint the cause of Kansas City's distinction.
Alcohol-related crashes help make automotive insurance more costly for Kansas City drivers than for drivers in other major cities in Missouri. And no one can put a value on the loss of loved ones. Next month, the Missouri General Assembly once again will take up the question of what to do about these deaths. Pressure to stop the carnage is mounting from grass-roots organizations and the federal government. Repeaters kill Stacks of case files in the Jackson County Courthouse tell about repeat drunken drivers and the grief they inflict.