• November 12th, 2011

Larry Copeland, USA Today

The emotional toll for Americans who lose a friend or loved one in a motor vehicle crash has a steep financial counterpart — an average $6 million per fatal accident, according to auto club AAA.

In a new report comparing the cost to the nation of motor vehicle crashes with that of traffic congestion, AAA analyzed the financial damage of traffic crashes in 99 urban areas. It concluded that the cost of crashes in those cities was more than three times that of congestion: $299.5 billion compared with $97.7 billion. The congestion costs include the price of gas wasted idling in traffic and loss of motorists’ time.