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NHTSA Report Reveals the High Economic Impact of Traffic Crashes

Broken windshield with red car in background

Learn about the staggering economic impact of traffic crashes in the U.S.

Medical bills, property damage, and legal fees are just a few of the costs that accrue from a crash. But crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrates how roadway crashes in the United States have an indirect impact on everyone, even people who haven't been involved in a collision.

The car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Brent C. Miller, P.A. have seen the financial impact collisions have. That's why we're committed to helping crash victims recover every penny rightfully owed to them. We have helped injured motorists and their families recover millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for more than 30 years.

How much do traffic crashes cost?

The NHTSA recently released its Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes report for 2019. The report estimated that motor vehicle crashes in 2019 cost Americans $340 billion. That accounts for $1,035 per person in the United States and $30 billion for taxpayers.

The costs factored into the report included:

  • Medical and emergency expenses
  • Workplace losses and lost productivity
  • Court and legal expenses
  • Insurance costs
  • Emergency costs
  • Congestion costs
  • Property damage

That's not all. According to the NHTSA, the total cost came to nearly $1.4 trillion when the quality of life was factored in.

What's behind the economic impact of traffic crashes?

The NHTSA cited four leading causes of crashes, injuries, and deaths. These included:

  • Alcohol: About 20% of collision expenses in 2019 were the result of drunk driving. Over 14,000 people lost their lives, 497,000 sustained injuries, and drunk driving cost the economy roughly $68.9 billion in crash-related expenses. About 90% of the drunk driving accidents included a motorist with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or above.
  • Distracted driving: In 2019, distracted driving accounted for almost 29% of all collision expenses. More than 10,500 people lost their lives, 1.3 million suffered non-fatal injuries, and distracted driving cost the economy more than $98 billion.
  • Failure to wear a seatbelt: About 2,400 individuals lost their lives in collisions because they did not buckle up. Roughly 46,000 more people suffered severe injuries. Seatbelt violations cost the economy about $11 billion.
  • Speeding: About 498,000 injuries and nearly 10,000 fatalities in 2019 resulted from speeding. This cost Americans $46 billion and an average of $141 per person. It also accounted for 14% of all crash-related economic expenses.

While the rate of fatal crashes in America has substantially decreased over the last three decades, progress has slowed in recent years. In fact, we've seen an uptick in the fatal crash rate during 2020 and 2021.

Our Central Florida law firm will fight for the compensation you deserve.

Injuries and deaths from traffic crashes not only incur high financial costs but also emotionally drain the affected parties and their families. You shouldn't be forced to pay for someone else's carelessness if you were hurt in a collision or lost a loved one.

Whether you've sustained whiplash, a severe injury, or lost a loved one, you deserve justice. Before you accept a settlement from an at-fault driver's insurance company, speak to the car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Brent C. Miller, P.A. Our legal team can investigate your crash and find out how much you're owed in medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and more.

We have law offices in Tavares, Inverness, The Villages, and Clermont. We also work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don't have to pay any upfront fees for our services. Contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.

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