Keith Vodden Dr. Douglas Smith - Transports Canada

Ontario Sub-Models and Their Social Costs
In addition, the analyst has control over specific cost parameters that are felt to
differ significantly between the Ontario model and particular sub-model. The specific
parameters and the values assigned in the calculations presented in this report are given in
Exhibit V-3.
Exhibit V-3 Variable Cost Parameters in the Ontario Sub-Models and their
Assigned Values used in this Report
Cost
Component
Drinking and
Driving
Sub-model
Large Trucks
Freeway
Police 2 1.5 2
Courts 2
Fire 2
Tow trucks 3
Delay 3 5
Note that parameters are multiples of the standard costing used in the Ontario
model. For example, police costs related to motor vehicle collisions involving drinking
and driving are expected to be two times the average police costs for a motor vehicle
collision in Ontario. In the large truck sub-model the cost of a tow service is assumed to
increase three fold from $500 to $1500 on average. This reflects the higher proportion of
large truck tow services required in the large truck sub-model. Although the cost of a
large truck tow is estimated to be 30 to 50 times the average cost of a car or light truck
tow, we believe that most tow services will continue to be for smaller vehicles in the
large truck sub-model. No specific cost parameters are identified for the pedestrian
involved collisions since all parameters are expected to be similar to those presented in
the Ontario model.
1. Drinking and driving collisions
The 7,396 drinking and driving collisions in Ontario in 2004 resulted in social
costs estimated at $3.1 billion. The social costs of human consequences makes up almost
$3.0 billion (95%) of this total. Exhibit V-4 presents these social costs. The average
drinking and driving collision has a social cost of $424 thousand.
TNS Canadian Facts, Social and Policy Research 61