Incidence and total lifetime costs of motor vehicle-related fatal and nonfatal injury by road user type, United States, 2005.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the costs of motor vehicle-related fatal and nonfatal injuries in the United States in terms of medical care and lost productivity by road user type.


METHODS
Incidence and cost data for 2005 were derived from several data sources. Unit costs were calculated for medical spending and productivity losses for fatal and nonfatal injuries, and unit costs were multiplied by incidence to yield total costs. Injury incidence and costs are presented by age, sex, and road user type.


RESULTS
Motor vehicle-related fatal and nonfatal injury costs exceeded $99 billion. Costs associated with motor vehicle occupant fatal and nonfatal injuries accounted for 71 percent ($70 billion) of all motor vehicle-related costs, followed by costs associated with motorcyclists ($12 billion), pedestrians ($10 billion), and pedalcyclists ($5 billion).


CONCLUSIONS
The substantial economic and societal costs associated with these injuries and deaths reinforce the need to implement evidence-based, cost-effective strategies. Evidence-based strategies that target increasing seat belt use, increasing child safety seat use, increasing motorcyclist and pedalcyclist helmet use, and decreasing alcohol-impaired driving are available.
Naumann
Rebecca B
RB
Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Team, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. RNaumann@cdc.gov
Dellinger
Ann M
AM
Zaloshnja
Eduard
E
Lawrence
Bruce A
BA
Miller
Ted R
TR
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004526:Efficiency; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult