Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths: Costly But Preventable 

CALIFORNIA

Motor vehicle crashes and their resulting injuries 

are preventable; state-level changes are especially 

effective for prevention. 

$5.83 Billion 

total cost of traffic crash deaths 

in California in 2018. 

$49 Million MEDICAL COSTS 

$5.79 Billion WORK LOSS COSTS 

+ 

COST OF TRAFFIC DEATHS BY TYPE OF ROAD USER 

CALIFORNIA 

TAKING ACTION CAN SAVE LIVES 

In 2018, more than 4,000 people in California were 

killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. California can 

consider the following proven strategies, and the 

enforcement of related policies, to save lives and money: 

• Child passenger safety laws that require proper car seat and 

booster seat use until at least age 9 COST OF TRAFFIC DEATHS BY AGE GROUP • Ignition interlock devices required for all (including first-time) CALIFORNIA

offenders convicted of alcohol-impaired driving 

 • A graduated driver licensing (GDL) system that includes:		

◦ A minimum age of 16 for obtaining a learner’s permit		 

◦ A mandatory learner’s permit holding period of 12 months 

  ◦ Restrictions against nighttime driving between 10:00 pm

and 5:00 am (or longer) 

◦ A minimum age of 18 for lifting both nighttime driving 

and young passenger restrictions		 Children: 0–14, Teens: 15–19, Young Adults: 20–34, Adults: 35–64, Older Adults: 65+ 

Source: CDC WISQARS, 2018 

Source: CDC WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System), 2018 

Working together, we can help keep people safe on the road—every day. 

www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/statecosts 
 

 

 

HOW DOES YOUR STATE COMPARE? 

STATES IN YOUR REGION 

Total population in 2018 

Hawaii 1.4M 

Nevada 3.0M 

Arizona 7.2M 

California 39.6M $5.83B 

The cost figures presented in the fact sheets are based on information collected by each individual state. There may be differences between 

states’ methods of collection and categorization of these data. 

Traffic crash death costs in 2018 

$164M 

$498M 

$1.37B 

PREVENTION SAVES MONEY 

The best way to reduce motor vehicle crash costs is to 

prevent crashes. Some effective strategies for preventing 

crashes include: 

• automated red-light and speed-camera enforcement 

• comprehensive graduated driver licensing systems 

• publicized sobriety checkpoints 

• mandatory ignition interlocks for all (including 

first-time) offenders convicted of 

alcohol-impaired driving 

The next best way to reduce costs is to prevent injuries 

when crashes occur. Proven ways to prevent injuries during 

a crash include: 

• high-visibility enforcement of seat belt and child 

restraint laws 

• primary seat belt laws for all seating positions 

• laws that require car seat or booster seat use for 

children until at least age 9 

• distribution plus education programs for car seats 

and booster seats 

• bicycle helmet laws for children 

For more information about these and other effective programs, visit www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety.
	

CDC’S COST ESTIMATE TOOLS 

CDC’s interactive calculator, MV PICCS (Motor Vehicle Prioritizing Interventions and Cost Calculator 

for States), was designed to help decision makers prioritize and select from a suite of 14 effective 

motor vehicle injury prevention interventions. At the state level, MV PICCS calculates the expected 

number and monetized value of injuries prevented and lives saved and the costs of implementation, 

while taking into account available resources. Visit www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/calculator. 

CDC’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) is an online, interactive 

system that provides reports of injury-related data. To find the costs of various injury deaths and 

nonfatal injuries, visit www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars. 

July 2020