Washington, D.C. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that in the past 50 years, the organization’s safety standards have successfully prevented more than 860,000 deaths.
According to a new report highlighting the measured safety benefits and societal costs of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), from 1968 through to 2019, the NHTSA’s safety standards have further prevented 49 million nonfatal injuries and damage to 65 million vehicles.
When looking at the data from a cost breakdown, the NHTSA further outlines how from 1968 to 2019, the comprehensive social benefits of these measures have amounted to US$17.3 trillion, when using 2019 inflation rates. In contrast, the total costs for the 52 years combined translates to roughly US$1 trillion.
NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman commented in the report that “the research shows that technologies such as seat belts, airbags, electronic stability control, improved brakes and many other safety features are saving lives as intended. Thoughtful, data-driven regulations not only prevent death and injury but also reduce the costs to our society from medical bills, property damage, lost productivity, traffic congestion that results when crashes occur on our roadways, legal and court fees, insurance, emergency services and workplace losses.”
To read the full report, click here.
