Societal costs of traffic crashes and crime in Michigan: 2011 update

Abstract

Cost estimates, including both monetary and nonmonetary quality-of-life costs specific to Michigan, were estimated for overall traffic crashes and index crimes by experts in the field of economics of traffic crashes and crimes. These cost estimates were applied to 2009 Michigan traffic crash and index crime incidence data to estimate dollar losses from traffic crashes and index crimes to the state and for each county within the state. Crash costs associated with alcohol-involved traffic crashes, teen-driver-involved crashes, crash-involved motorcyclists, and unrestrained occupants of passenger vehicles were also calculated. Findings indicate that in 2009, index crimes in Michigan resulted in $1.9 billion in monetary costs and $4.7 billion in total (monetary and nonmonetary quality-of-life) costs. Overall traffic crashes resulted in $4.8 billion in monetary costs and $9.1 billion in total costs. Of these costs, alcohol-involved crashes accounted for $0.8 billion in monetary costs and $1.9 billion in total costs. Crashes involving teen drivers accounted for almost $1 billion in monetary costs and $1.8 billion in total costs. Crash-involved motorcyclists accounted for $0.4 billion in monetary costs and $0.8 billion in total costs. Injury-crash involved unrestrained occupants accounted for $0.5 billion in monetary costs and $1.2 billion in total costs. Based on dollar losses to the state, the magnitude of the problem of traffic crashes exceeded that of index crimes in 2009.