Cost of Britain's road deaths and injuries

The UK Government’s annual report on the number of road deaths and injuries shows that 2,222 people were killed in Britain in 2009 while, according to police statistics, 24,690 were seriously injured. However, the real figure is estimated to be closer to 80,000 when data from other sources are taken into account. For the first time the government has estimated the total cost of road deaths and injuries to the economy, taking into account under-reporting of injuries by police and using other data sources.
May 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The UK Government’s annual report on the number of road deaths and injuries shows that 2,222 people were killed in Britain in 2009 while, according to police statistics, 24,690 were seriously injured. However, the real figure is estimated to be closer to 80,000 when data from other sources are taken into account.

For the first time the government has estimated the total cost of road deaths and injuries to the economy, taking into account under-reporting of injuries by police and using other data sources.

This estimate has put the total cost to the economy of all road crashes in Great Britain in 2009 at £33 billion (€38.82 billion), with each road death costing £1.6 million (€1.88 million). The previous estimate from 2008 stood at £17.9 billion (€21 billion) but this failed to take into account under-reporting.

These costs include costs to the National Health Service and emergency services; costs to the police from investigating the crash and bringing cases to court; costs to individuals through higher insurance rates; costs from lost worker productivity; human costs, and damage to property.

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