A study released today that says deficient roadway conditions contribute to more than half of U.S. highway fatalities — a substantially more lethal factor than drunk driving, speeding or non-use of seatbelts — lists Hawaii as among the states with the highest road-related crash costs.

The study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation says 10 roadway-related crashes occur every minute (5.3 million a year) and also contribute to 38 percent of non-fatal injuries.
In revealing that deficiencies in the roadway environment contributed to more than 22,000 fatalities and cost the nation more than $217 billion annually, the study concluded that making the roadway environment more protective and forgiving is essential to reducing highway fatalities and costs.
“If we put as much focus on improving road safety conditions as we do in urging people not to drink and drive, we’d save thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year,” principal study author Dr. Ted Miller said.
“Safer drivers and safer cars remain vitally important, but safer roadways are critical to saving lives, preventing injuries and reducing costs.”
Titled “On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways,” the study found the $217 billion cost of deficient roadway conditions dwarfs the costs of other safety factors, including: $130 billion for alcohol, $97 billion for speeding, or $60 billion for failing to wear a safety belt. Indeed, the $217 billion figure is more than 3 1/2 times the amount of money government at all levels is investing annually in roadway capital improvements — $59 billion, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
The report concluded that roadway related crashes impose $20 billion in medical costs; $46 billion in productivity costs; $52 billion in property damage and other resource costs; and $99 billion in quality of life costs which measure the value of pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life by those injured or killed in crashes and their families.
The report analyzed crash costs on a state-by-state basis. The 10 states with the:
— Highest total cost from crashes involving deficient road conditions are (alphabetically): Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
— Highest road-related crash costs per million vehicle miles of travel are: Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
— Highest road-related crash costs per mile of road are: California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and South Carolina.
The study identifies ways transportation officials can improve road conditions to save lives and reduce injuries. For example, immediate solutions for problem spots include: replacing non-forgiving poles with breakaway poles, using brighter and more durable pavement markings, adding rumble strips to shoulders, mounting more guardrails or safety barriers, and installing better signs with easier-to-read legends.
PIRE is a transportation safety research organization. It has conducted research for a range of organizations, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, National Safety Council and MADD.
PIRE conducted the study for the Transportation Construction Coalition, which has the full report, icluding complete state-by-state data and other research findings, at www.transportationconstructioncoalition.org.