Unsafe roadways lead need for safety investments
New research announced today by the Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation examines the relative economic costs of vehicle crashes, comparing driver behaviors with roadway surface conditions. Internationally-renowned safety economist Dr. Ted R. Miller and colleague Eduard Zaloshnja determined that 52.7% of highway crashes involve roadway conditions. The crashes were responsible for 22,000 fatalities in 2008.
In terms of social costs, non-use of seatbelts is responsible for $60 billion in costs; speeding, $97 billion; and alcohol impairment, $130 billion. Road condition-related crashes cost the U.S. economy $218 billion. These costs include $20 billion in medical expense, $46 billion in productivity losses and $52 billion in property damage and other resource costs with a further $99 billion in monetized quality of life costs.
The report was commissioned by the Transportation Construction Coalition and timed as Congress weighs the Obama Administration's request last week to pass a stopgap extension of federal transportation programs until after the next election.
Although the TCC advocacy effort is focused only on safety-related roadway construction improvements, a significant opportunity is on the table with the highway authorization bill to upgrade roadway operations. Improved operations can curtail the costs incurred from weather-, incident- and work zone-related crashes -- including winter snow and ice operations.
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