Keith Vodden Dr. Douglas Smith - Transports Canada

Social Cost of Motor Vehicle Collisions in Ontario
D. COMPARISON OF SOCIAL COSTS ESTIMATES FOR 2004 AND 1990
Estimates of the social cost of motor vehicle collisions in Ontario for 2004 use a
similar methodology to that employed by the estimates for 1990. We compare the results
of the two studies in this section.
The comparison we make uses the willingness to pay approach and low estimate
scenario (this results in the same modelling approach to the value of human consequences
in the two studies) and excludes cost items for court costs and traffic delays not estimated
in the earlier study. This comparison allows us to focus on relative changes in the cost
items between the two estimates.
IV-4.
The distribution of total costs by comparable cost component is noted in Exhibit
Exhibit IV-4 Comparison of Social Cost Estimates for 2004 and 1990
Social costs in:
2004 1990
Fatalities 62.1% 68.1%
Injuries 13.1% 13.5%
Property damage 18.4% 14.7%
Hospital/Health care 1.3% 1.4%
Police 0.9% 0.4%
Fire 0.9% 0.1%
Ambulance 0.3% 0.1%
Tow trucks 1.0% 0.2%
Out-of-pocket 2.1% 1.6%
A review by cost components suggests:
• The value of fatalities and injuries both declined in the overall estimates of social
cost from 1990 to 2004. In terms of total social cost, fatalities declined from 68%
to 62% and injuries declined from 13.5% to 13.1% of the estimated values. In the
same period fatalities per collision declined by 33% while injuries declined by
11%. (Please note that this comparison uses the low cost WTP estimates. A more
complete discussion of the current model’s use of higher values for human
consequences is presented below.)
• Property damage and out-of-pocket costs have increased in value between 1990
and 2004. We feel this may reflect the higher relative value of vehicles in the later
period.
TNS Canadian Facts, Social and Policy Research 51