Kansas City streetcar hits parked Mercedes

A southbound Kansas City streetcar hit a parked Mercedes at 20th and Main streets Tuesday afternoon and suffered minor damage.

The wreck, which occurred about 1:30 p.m., was the first accident since Kansas City streetcars began tests on downtown streets in early November. No one was injured.

City officials said the driver of the Mercedes, with Johnson County plates, was ticketed for parking way over the white line that indicates where cars can park safely next to the streetcar tracks.

City spokesman Chris Hernandez said other cars on the street were parked properly, but this car was parked several feet from the curb and well past the white line.

The Mercedes had some damage but was able to drive away after crews fixed a flat tire, Hernandez said.

The Kansas City Streetcar Authority issued a statement saying the streetcar team was evaluating the situation and the exact extent of damages was unknown, although the streetcar was able to get back to the maintenance yard under its own power.

The authority did not comment on why the streetcar operator didn’t stop before hitting the car. Operators are undergoing training prior to May 6, when streetcars will start carrying the public.

Hernandez said the wreck was a vivid example of what the city has repeatedly told drivers using street signs, public service announcements and social media: Park within the white line. Cars have to park within the white line that runs parallel to the rails from River Market to Union Station to avoid being hit by the streetcar.

“It’s an education process for drivers and for the streetcar operators,” he said.

Public works director Sherri McIntyre said parking several feet from the curb would be a violation even without the streetcar. She said the city’s traffic regulations require a vehicle to be parked within 12 inches of the curb.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Kansas City streetcar hits parked Mercedes."