KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When it comes to Missouri’s highways, we’re in trouble. At least, that’s what a new study has revealed.

The study comes from data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) between 2017-2021 to determine which states have the highest rate of highway traffic deaths.

Missouri ranked third on the list behind Wyoming and New Mexico with 15 deaths per 100,000 people. The national average is just more than nine.

“No, it’s not surprising to hear,” said Eriona Dunn, who’s lived in Kansas City her entire life. ” That’s all the time I go on 670, 435, and I70. We need more lanes. We’re becoming a bigger city and two to three lanes on the highway aren’t cutting it anymore.”

AAA Missouri spoke with FOX4 about the data, which they didn’t find surprising either.

“We’ve taken a lot of strides over the past few years to try to improve roadway safety here in the state, and really it comes down to, I would say, three things: policy and laws, education, and enforcement,” said Nick Chabarria, a spokesman for AAA Missouri.

He also referenced changes in state law since that data was compiled. Perhaps most notably is the hands-free law, which took effect this past August. It bans drivers from holding their cell phones to text, call, or use social media.

“Prior to the law, Missouri was only one of two states that didn’t ban texting and driving for drivers of all ages,” Chabarria added.

While he thinks that particular law is a positive change, he has different opinions about the state repealing the motorcycle helmet law in 2020, which required motorcyclists to wear a helmet.

“In the year after that law took effect, we saw a 33% increase in motorcycle fatalities with more than 60% of those riders not wearing helmets,” he said.

As for which county accounts for the most traffic deaths, data from the Missouri Department of Transportation revealed the answer to that: Jackson County. MoDOT revealed Jackson County had 653 deaths in the last five years, which was nearly 100 more deaths than St. Louis County.

What’s more, a report from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a group comprised of medical, public health, law enforcement groups, and others, looked at just how much motor vehicle crashes cost the state of Missouri, factoring in healthcare and insurance costs as well as lost wages.

“They calculated Missouri’s annual loss for motor vehicle crashes at more than $6 billion,” he said. “That dollar amount alone should show that we have a real problem here in the state.”