February 2023 - 7

Car crashes cost each
American $1,035 per year
The cost to repair crashed cars escalated to $340 billion in 2019.
By Brendan Baker, Editor
BBaker@EndeavorB2B.com
T
he costs totaled out to
just over $1,000 per
person, whether involved
in an accident or not, according
to a recent NHTSA study.
Seeing the costs involved, it's no wonder
that body shops are so busy these days. There
were more than 23 million vehicles damaged
during this study's timeframe. The report
also states that 36,500 people were killed and
4.5 million people injured, as well. All signs
that there's still a way to go for road safety.
Somewhat surprisingly, those not directly
involved in crashes pay for about threequarters
of all crash costs through higher
insurance premiums, taxes, and other hardto-calculate
factors such as travel delays,
increased fuel consumption, and environmental
impacts. These costs totaled over
$261 billion.
Some say the current body shop business
model is broken due to how much influence
(or control) the insurance companies have
over the entire process, from what a shop can
charge for a headlight to replacement panels.
While the growing number of fatalities
is worrisome, technology can make cars safer
and more dangerous at the same time.
Distracted driving is the biggest cause of
accidents but not the most fatalities. Impaired
driving (alcohol) is still the most deadly with
a higher chance of fatality. Technology can
also be to blame for the higher costs to repair
with more driver assistance features (ADAS),
and overall increased use of computer modules
(chips) in vehicles. This means that a
mild fender bender can cost several times
more because shops must replace multiple
sensors (parking, lane assist, etc.), and other
safety-related systems.
About 22.9 million vehicles were damaged
in motor vehicle crashes in 2019; 19.3
million or 84 percent of these vehicles were
damaged in incidents that incurred property
damage only.
This report indicates that the total cost
from traffic crashes in 2019 of $340 billion is
approximately 40 percent higher than its previous
estimate of $242 billion in 2010. The
difference in these estimates is attributable
to a number of factors, including inflation (17
percent), shifts in the severity of crashes and
the nature of injury outcomes, and a revised
basis for measuring unit costs.
The report also examined crash costs
for various roadway types and crash configurations.
Among its findings, accidents
on interstate highways were responsible for
roughly 12 percent of the cost, while the
more frequent but less serious accidents at
intersections account for 53 percent of the
cost. It's just a fact of life in our society that
fender benders occur so often, but it is clear
that the costs are rising to repair vehicles, and
the potential for fatalities is still a big factor
in the equation.
With OEMs introducing more safety
systems such as ADAS and other crash
avoidance systems, the methods and
tools to repair these vehicles are significantly
more complex than even a decade
ago, yet we are still trying to get people to
wear seatbelts on a regular basis in 2023.
Go figure.
PTEN EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD
TECHNICIANS
ERIC MOORE,
DeMary Trucks, Columbus, OH
LOU FORT,
K.A.R.S. Inc., Huntingburg, IN
SHOP OWNERS
KIM AUERNHEIMER,
Cool Springs Automotive, Brentwood, TN
TANNER BRANDT,
Autodiag Clinic, Welford, SC
PHIL FOURNIER,
Phil's Auto Clinic, Hemet, CA
JD GOAD,
Goad's Body Shop, Lexington, VA
EDWIN HAZZARD,
Southeast Mobile Tech, Goose Creek, SC
PETE RUDLOFF,
Pete's Garage Inc., Newark, DE
MICHELLE TANSEY,
Dubclinic, Santa Clara, CA
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KIMBERLY COTTLE
Associated Equipment
JIM O'HARA,
Clore Automotive
www.VehicleServicePros.com FEBRUARY 2023 PROFESSIONAL TOOL & EQUIPMENT NEWS 7
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February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023
