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April 15, 2004 Traffic Accidents, Many Preventable, Cost Lives and Millions of Dollars Traffic accidents cause injury and death, costing North Dakotans millions of dollars every year. During the last 20 years, approximately 2,000 people have died in North Dakota traffic accidents. The majority of these deaths, 53 percent, were alcohol related. “The number of traffic deaths in North Dakota has varied greatly in the past from 74 in 1995 to 120 in 1999. However, the number of alcohol related traffic deaths has remained fairly stable during this time period, generally hovering in the 40s and 50s,” says Richard Rathge, director of the State Data Center. This month’s “Economic Brief,” a monthly publication from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, focuses on data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2002, North Dakota experienced 97 traffic fatalities. These deaths translate to 1.32 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled or 15.30 deaths per 100,000 people. Nationally, 42,815 people died in traffic accidents in 2002; 1.50 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled or 14.85 deaths per 100,000 people. A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2000,” indicates that economic costs (including productivity losses, property damage, medical costs, rehabilitation costs, travel delay, legal and court costs, emergency services, insurance administration costs and the costs to employers) associated with traffic crashes in North Dakota totaled $290 million in 2000. Economic costs associated with speed related crashes alone totaled $54 million. Values for more intangible consequences such as physical pain or lost quality of life are not included in this estimate. ### Source:
Richard Rathge, (701) 231-7980, Richard.Rathge@ndsu.nodak.edu
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