Incidence and Total Lifetime Costs of Motor Vehicle-Related Fatal and Nonfatal Injury by Road User Type, United States, 2005 - Traffic Injury Prevention

New CDC Study Finds Annual Cost of Motor Vehicle Crashes Exceeds $99 Billion
In a one-year period, the cost of medical care and productivity losses associated with injuries from motor vehicle crashes exceeded $99 billion - with the cost of direct medical care accounting for $17 billion, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total annual cost amounts to nearly $500 for each licensed driver in the United States, said the study in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention. See the CDC press release. http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100825.htm

The one-year costs of fatal and non-fatal crash-related injuries totaled $70 billion (71 percent of total costs) for people riding in motor vehicles, such as cars and light trucks, $12 billion for motorcyclists, $10 billion for pedestrians, and $5 billion for bicyclists, the study said.

CDC has also released a one-page fact sheet to help communities play an important role in reducing the human and economic toll of motor vehicle-related injuries by supporting prevention policies that have been shown to save lives and reduce costs.

Save Lives, Save Dollars—Prevent Motor Vehicle Related Injuries [pdf 255K] provides information about cost-effective policies to:
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/pdfs/cost-MV-a.pdf
-Improve child passenger safety.
-Improve teen driver safety.
-Reduce alcohol-impaired driving.
-Increase safety belt use.

Learn More
Motor Vehicle Safety
http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/


Incidence and Total Lifetime Costs of Motor Vehicle-Related Fatal and Nonfatal Injury by Road User Type, United States, 2005
Authors: Rebecca B. Naumanna; Ann M. Dellingera; Eduard Zaloshnjab; Bruce A. Lawrenceb; Ted R. Millerb

Affiliations: a Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Team, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
b Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation, Calverton, Maryland

DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2010.486429
Publication Frequency: 6 issues per year
Published in: Traffic Injury Prevention, Volume 11, Issue 4 August 2010 , pages 353 - 360
Previously published as: Journal of Crash Prevention and Injury Control(1028-6586)until2002
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To cite this Article: Naumann, Rebecca B. , Dellinger, Ann M. , Zaloshnja, Eduard , Lawrence, Bruce A. and Miller, Ted R. 'Incidence and Total Lifetime Costs of Motor Vehicle–Related Fatal and Nonfatal Injury by Road User Type, United States, 2005', Traffic Injury Prevention, 11:4, 353 - 360


Abstract
Objectives: To estimate the costs of motor vehicle-related fatal and nonfatal injuries in the United States in terms of medical care and lost productivity by road user type.

Methods: Incidence and cost data for 2005 were derived from several data sources. Unit costs were calculated for medical spending and productivity losses for fatal and nonfatal injuries, and unit costs were multiplied by incidence to yield total costs. Injury incidence and costs are presented by age, sex, and road user type.

Results: Motor vehicle-related fatal and nonfatal injury costs exceeded $99 billion. Costs associated with motor vehicle occupant fatal and nonfatal injuries accounted for 71 percent ($70 billion) of all motor vehicle-related costs, followed by costs associated with motorcyclists ($12 billion), pedestrians ($10 billion), and pedalcyclists ($5 billion).

Conclusions: The substantial economic and societal costs associated with these injuries and deaths reinforce the need to implement evidence-based, cost-effective strategies. Evidence-based strategies that target increasing seat belt use, increasing child safety seat use, increasing motorcyclist and pedalcyclist helmet use, and decreasing alcohol-impaired driving are available.
Keywords: Crash; Cost; Injury prevention; Road users; Motor vehicle

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Incidence and Total Lifetime Costs of Motor Vehicle-Related Fatal and Nonfatal Injury by Road User Type, United States, 2005 - Traffic Injury Prevention