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3/5/2008
Traffic Crashes - What's the Cost to Society?
Groundbreaking AAA study shows traffic crashes cost American motorists $164.2 billion per year
The societal cost of traffic crashes is a staggering $164.2 billion annually, nearly two and a half times greater than the $67.6 billion price tag for congestion, according to a new report released today by AAA.
The report, “Crashes vs. Congestion: What’s the Cost to Society?,” revels that traffic safety issues warrant increased attention from the public and policymakers, particularly as state legislatures and the U.S. Congress develop transportation programs in the future.
“Most Americans will be surprised to learn that motor vehicle crashes cost more than the congestion they face on their daily commute to work,” said AAA Washington President and CEO Charlie Liekweg. “Great work has been done by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) to quantify the costs of congestion, raise awareness for the problem and offer solutions. We feel safety deserves a similar focus.”
According to the study conducted by Cambridge Systematics, the $164.2 billion cost for crashes equates to an annual per person cost of $1,051, compared to $430 per person annually for congestion. These safety costs include medical, emergency and police services, property damage, lost productivity, and quality of life, among other things.
The report calculates the costs of crashes for the same metropolitan areas, including the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and Portland-Vancouver metro areas and Spokane, covered by the annual Urban Mobility Report conducted by TTI. In every metropolitan area studied, from very large to small, the results showed crash costs exceeded congestion. For very large urban areas (more than 3 million), crash costs are nearly double those of congestion. Those costs increase to more than seven times congestion costs in small urban areas (less than 500,000) where congestion is less of a challenge.
“Nearly 43,000 people die on the nation’s roadways each year,” said Liekweg. “Yet, the annual tally of motor vehicle-related fatalities barely registers as a blip in most people’s minds. It’s time for motor vehicle crashes to be viewed as the public health threat they are. If there were two jumbo jets crashing every week, the government would ground all planes until we fixed the problem. Yet, we’ve come to accept this sort of death toll with car crashes.
“While the cost of crashes is much higher than the cost of congestion, both are important issues and have a big impact on the quality of life for American motorists. AAA hopes this report will generate a new dialog about the very real safety challenges we face,” Liekweg continued.
The report includes several recommendations to improve safety, including many strategies included in Washington State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Target Zero. At the core of this plan are traffic safety emphasis areas and proven strategies that target problems on Washington roadways, including impaired driving and speed, occupant protection and run-off-the-road collisions.
For additional information and to download a full copy of AAA’s report, visit AAA.com/news.
|
Metropolitan Area |
MSA Population |
Total Cost of Crashes |
Total Cost of Crashes per Person |
Cost of Congestion |
Cost of Congestion per Person |
| Seattle - Tacoma- Bellevue |
3,203,314
|
$3,390
|
$1,058
|
$1,413
|
$470
|
| Spokane |
440,706
|
$429
|
$975
|
$28
|
$78
|
| Portland - Vancouver - Beaverton |
2,095,861
|
$1,762
|
$841
|
$625
|
$361
|
AAA Washington has been serving members and the traveling public since 1904. The organization provides a variety of exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance, discounts, maps and personalized trip planning, to its 980,000 members. In addition, its full-service travel and insurance agencies provide products and services for members and the public. Additional information is available through the company’s 26 offices in Washington and northern Idaho, at www.AAA.com, or by calling 1-800-562-2582.
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