Jan. 31, 2013—The societal cost of injury and fatal traffic collisions is on the rise, even as the number of fatal and injury crashes decline, according to a report from the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR).
The societal cost of fatal traffic collisions reached an estimated $6.4 million in 2012, a 100 percent increase compared to $3.2 million in 2005.
Injury crash costs follow the same upward trend. The community’s cost of an injury crash rose to $134,555 in 2012, a 97 percent increase from 2005.
The NSCR reports that these costs would have been much higher had fatal crashes and injury crashes not declined by 24 percent and 7 percent, respectively, from 2005 to 2010.
Based on these numbers, the NSCR urges communities to continue setting better standards on roadways to reduce collisions, such as adding red-light and speed safety cameras.
