Gov. Laura Kelly on Tuesday announced a $2.69 million federal grant to upgrade the Kansas Department of Transportation’s crash data collection systems.

Currently, KDOT’s system receives electronic reports from the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Kansas Law Enforcement Reporting System. However, nearly half of all crash data must be entered manually due to system incompatibilities with many local law enforcement agencies. The funding will enable the Kansas Crash Data System to be rebuilt and integrated with local systems statewide. The project also includes the distribution of 1,000 driver’s license scanners to law enforcement to encourage greater adoption of electronic reporting.

“Accurate, timely data is essential for developing strategies to reduce crashes and the severity of injuries,” Kelly said in the news release. “This funding will modernize the crash data collection process by equipping decision-makers in local communities with better tools to guide transportation planning across Kansas.”

KDOT will receive $2.69 million in State Electronic Data Collection program funds awarded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“KDOT will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to improve the statewide crash data repository,” Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said in the release. “Ultimately, this initiative will streamline our current processes, improve data accuracy, and provide quicker access to actionable information.”

The State Electronic Data Collection program fulfills a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law directive requiring NHTSA to provide grants to states to upgrade and standardize state crash data systems, enabling electronic data transfers.