Deadly Car Accidents Carry Staggering Cost
Learn more about the significant monetary costs of fatal car accidents in Texas and nationwide, and how improved safety measures could have a meaningful impact.

July 31, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Every year, thousands of Americans are killed in motor vehicle crashes. The intangible costs in suffering and loss of human life caused by fatal car accidents, many of which are preventable, are difficult to quantify. A new report, however, indicates that the monetary price tag on motor vehicle deaths is also substantial.

Billions Lost in Car Crashes

Taking into account both medical care costs and lost workplace output stemming from fatal motor vehicle accidents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") estimates the yearly cost of these crashes is $41 billion.

This estimate comes from a new report that details state-by-state statistics based on 2005 data. Some localities are overrepresented: just 10 states account for half of the $41 billion figure. Costs in Texas alone amount to $3.5 billion annually; California is the only state that incurs greater losses due to fatal car accidents.

More Safety Measures

In 2009, 3,089 individuals were killed on Texas roadways, an average of one auto accident death every 2 hours 50 minutes. Many such tragic deaths are avoidable.

Almost half of those killed in vehicles equipped with seat belts were not buckled up at the time of the car crash. The CDC believes that enacting nationwide primary seat belt laws (which allow law enforcement officers to pull over and cite vehicle occupants strictly for failing to wear a seatbelt), along with stringent enforcement, could help reduce deaths.

Additional CDC recommendations include better child safety seat policies, graduated driver licensing programs for new drivers, and mandatory helmet use for all motorcycle riders. In Texas, adult motorcyclists are not required to wear a helmet if they have completed an approved safety course and are covered by health insurance that will pay for injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident; 60 percent of Texas motorcyclists killed in 2009 were not wearing a helmet.

Tougher drunk driving initiatives could also prevent deaths: almost a third of 2009 fatal accidents in Texas involved a driver under the influence of alcohol.

If You Have Been Affected By a Fatal Car Accident

If you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, contact a Texas personal injury attorney today. Although nothing can ever fully compensate you for the death of a family member, your attorney can help defray the huge financial and personal costs of a fatal car accident by ensuring you collect the monetary damages you deserve.

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