The Washington region is infamous for its crippling traffic — no matter the study, Washington ranks among the top cities in the country in terms of gridlock — but the costs of car crashes far outweigh the costs of congestion, a new study shows. Fatal car crashes and injuries take about $7.4 billion each year out of commuters’ wallets, compared with $4 billion for daily backups on roads like Interstate 270, the Capital Beltway, and Interstate 95 in Virginia, according to a AAA Mid-Atlantic study.
“The burdens associated with congestion weigh heavily on the minds of many Americans as they travel to and from work and school each day,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend. “However, at close to $8 billion annually, crashes cost local motorists almost double the amount of congestion.”
| 2009 area crashes |
| Fatalities: 350 |
| Injuries: 42,566 |
| Cost of fatalities: $2.1 billion |
| Cost of injuries: $5.4 billion |
| Total cost: $7.4 billion |
| Source: AAA Mid-Atlantic |
In 2009, 350 people were killed in fatal car crashes in the region, while 42,566 people were injured in car accidents. Together, those crashes cost Washington-area drivers an average of $1,363 a year, or a total of $7.4 billion. Congestion costs $913 per person annually.
The Beltway alone claims the lives of 18 people a year on average, according to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Administration and local transportation officials. Nearly 3,000 accidents occur annually on the 64-mile long highway.
Most fatalities on the Beltway occur in Prince George’s County, a stretch of the highway where congestion is often the least severe, allowing for time-conscious drivers to speed up and get into more deadly crashes.
The per-person cost for car crashes in Washington is actually less than the national average, a testament to how truly awful Washington-area gridlock is. While the likelihood a car crash will occur is greater in dense, urban cities with large amounts of traffic, the severity of the congestion — and the slow pace of vehicles — also means crashes are less severe.
The data shows that road safety, not just traffic easement, must still be at the forefront of officials minds when they discuss ways to improve the region’s transportation infrastructure, Townsend said.
“In order to address safety issues, jurisdictions need to identify their problems by analyzing safety data and investing resources where they would make the largest impact,” Townsend said.
