The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes, 1990

This report presents the results of an analysis of total motor vehicle crash costs for 1990 and the costs of alcohol-related crashes. The total economic cost of motor vehicle crashes and injuries that occurred in 1990 was $137.5 billion. This total represents the present value of lifetime costs for 44,531 fatalities, 5.4 million non-fatal injuries, and 28 million damaged vehicles, in both police reported and unreported crashes. Property damage costs of $45.7 billion accounted for the largest share of total motor vehicle crash costs. Lifetime losses in marketplace production due to deaths and injuries of $39.8 billion represented the second largest portion of total cost. Medical expenses were the third highest cost category, totaling $13.9 billion. Each fatality resulted in a discounted lifetime economic cost of $702,000. Alcohol-related crashes resulted in economic costs of $46.1 billion, 33.5 percent of 1990 costs. Eighty-one percent of all alcohol-related costs occurred in crashes where a driver or pedestrian was legally impaired.