How much does a high-speed related crash cost the NHS?
While the number of people killed or severely injured in a road traffic collisions (RTC) has declined significantly over the past four decades, the numbers are still substantial: in 2005 there were 2,913 fatal road accidents, 25,029 serious road accidents and 170,793 minor road accidents in the United Kingdom. The value to society of preventing these accidents was estimated at 12,807 million, or 64,440 per accident. The annual cost to the National Health Service (NHS) of treating trauma injuries is currently estimated at 1.6 billion; about 7% of the total annual NHS budget. (Outcomes and costs of blunt trauma in England and Wales, Crit Care. Christensen et al. 2008; 12(1): R23) Reducing collisions on our roads can reduce the burden placed upon the NHS.
