Costs and functional consequences of U.S. roadway crashes

Accid Anal Prev. 1993 Oct;25(5):593-607. doi: 10.1016/0001-4575(93)90011-k.

Abstract

The comprehensive cost of U.S. motor vehicle crashes was almost $333 billion in 1988. Comprehensive costs add the value of lost quality of life to monetary costs. This paper estimates costs by injury severity for three severity classification systems. It also estimates the functional capacity loss and probability of permanent work-related disability resulting from nonfatal injury. Using only monetary costs in safety decision making inappropriately favors mobility over safety. Comprehensive costs are one appropriate choice. Another acceptable choice is to use years of functional capacity loss plus direct costs to perform cost-effectiveness analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic / economics*
  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Disabled Persons
  • Efficiency
  • Emergency Medical Services / economics
  • Humans
  • Injury Severity Score*
  • Quality of Life
  • United States
  • Value of Life