CRASH COSTS AND SAFETY INVESTMENT

Injury crashes cost society more than $34 billion annually. Expending up to $2.3 million to prevent one fatal crash appears to be rational public policy, although the crash costs society only $500,000. Prevention of severe, nonfatal head and spinal cord injuries warrants even larger expenditures. The estimated rational investment to prevent an average nonfatal injury crash is $22,000, while society's cost is $8,000. Rational investment levels for increased safety are estimated by summing the amount individuals typically pay for small increases in their safety and the cost the rest of society bears when someone is killed or injured, including transfer payments.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Headington Hill Hall
  Oxford OX30BW,    
• Authors:
  • Miller, T R
  • Luchter, S
  • Brinkman, C P
• Publication Date: 1989-8

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 303-315
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 21
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Burns (Injuries); Costs; Crashes; Economic impacts; Head; Injuries; Investments; Prevention; Safety; Spinal column; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Accident costs; Head injuries; Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Personal injury; Rational investment; Spine, injuries
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00488034
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-040 736
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1989 12:00AM