Save lives, save dollars. Prevent motor vehicle–related injuries.

Every 12 minutes, someone dies in a car crash 

on U.S. roads. 

Every 10 seconds, someone is injured and taken to an 

emergency department.

Annual Costs of Motor Vehicle–Related Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries, 

by Age Group*

*United States,

in 2005 dollars

Adults

(ages 25–64),

$58 billion

Young Adults

(ages 20–24),

$17 billion

Teens

(ages 15–19),

Children $14 billion

(ages 0–14),

$7 billion

Older Adults

(ages 65+),

$3 billion

Prevention: A Cost-effective Solution

Every year, nearly 40,000 Americans die from motor vehicle–

related injuries; another 270,000 persons are hospitalized. These 

injuries cost the states and our nation an estimated $99 billion in 

lifetime medical care and lost productivity. Policymakers can play 

an important role in reducing the human and economic toll 

of motor vehicle–related injuries by supporting prevention 

policies that have been shown to save lives and reduce costs. 

See the next page for cost-effective policies to:

• 

• 

• 

• 

Improve child passenger safety.

Improve teen driver safety.

Reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

Increase safety belt use.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Save lives, save dollars.

Prevent motor vehicle–related injuries.

Proven Policy Solutions

Improve Child Passenger Safety

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death for 

children—more than 1,300 children are killed in crashes

every year. 

Child passenger safety laws save lives 

and prevent injuries. Every state has a 

child safety seat law in place, but specific 

requirements vary. Many laws do not 

offer full protection for children as they 

grow and their safety needs change. 

Policymakers can: 

• Strengthen child safety seat laws so that every time 

children ride, they are in federally approved child 

restraints that are appropriate for their age and size. 

Support distribution and education programs that 

provide approved child safety seats to parents and 

caregivers who need financial assistance. 

Encourage incentive and education programs to provide 

children and parents with rewards and opportunities for 

the purchase and correct use of child safety seats. 

A $30 booster 

seat produces 

cost savings 

greater than 

9 to 1.

Improve Teen Driver Safety 

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. 

teens. In 2008 alone, crashes took the lives of more than 5,800 

people younger than age 20. 

Every state has a graduated driver licensing (GDL) policy aimed 

at reducing the number of young drivers whose roadway 

inexperience leads to fatal and nonfatal errors, but policies vary 

considerably. The strongest GDL policies are associated with a 

38% and 40% reduction 

in fatal and nonfatal injury 

crashes, respectively, for 

16-year-old drivers. 

Policymakers can 

strengthen their state’s 

GDL policy by: 

• Limiting the number of teen passengers who may 

accompany a teen driver without adult supervision to no 

more than one (unless they are family members).

Imposing a nighttime driving restriction from at least 

10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for unsupervised drivers younger than 

age 18.

For a cost of only $70 per 

teen, graduated licensing 

programs generate $500 in 

cost savings.

Reduce Alcohol-impaired Driving 

About 12,000 people die each year in alcohol-related motor 

vehicle crashes—one every 45 minutes. 

To prevent alcohol-impaired driving, policymakers can: 

• Implement policies that require ignition interlock 

devices for all individuals convicted of driving with a 

blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level over the legal 

limit. The use of 

ignition interlock 

devices among 

those convicted 

of driving 

while impaired 

significantly 

reduces repeat offenses. 

When interlocks are installed, 

re-arrest rates decrease by about 70%. 

Maintain the minimum legal drinking age at 21 years 

old—this law saves more than 700 lives a year. 

Mandate the regular use of sobriety checkpoints to 

systematically stop drivers to assess their level of 

alcohol impairment.

Support policies that prevent excessive alcohol 

consumption and policies that prevent access to alcohol 

by anyone under age 21 (e.g., compliance checks and 

responsible beverage server training).

The public saves between $3 

and $7 for every $1 spent on 

ignition interlock devices.

Increase Safety Belt Use

In 2008, safety belt use saved more than 13,000 lives. 

Primary safety belt 

laws, which give 

officers the authority 

to pull over and ticket 

motorists solely 

because they are 

not wearing a belt, 

are more effective 

in encouraging seat 

belt use and reducing injuries than secondary laws, which allow 

officers to ticket for nonbelt use only after the motorist has been 

pulled over for a separate offense. States that upgrade from a 

secondary to a primary law have seen a 14% increase in safety 

belt use and a 7% reduction in motor vehicle–related deaths. 

Policymakers can: 

• Upgrade to a primary safety belt law if one is not in place. 

Increase fines for violating safety belt laws, as higher fines 

produce greater adherence. 

Support the use of enhanced safety belt enforcement 

programs that include media promotion.

Increasing seat belt usage to 

90% in all states would save an 

additional $5.2 billion a year in 

medical, legal, and productivity 

costs. 

August 2010