According to a CDC report, in 2012 over 2.5 million people visited the emergency room and 200,000 were hospitalized due to car crashes, totaling $18 billion in lifetime medical costs. Young people aged 15-29 made up 38% of injuries while those over 80 had the highest hospitalization rate at 33%. Overall, medical costs from crashes have decreased by $1.7 billion and lost work costs by $2.3 billion compared to 2002, but there is still room for improvement through effective prevention techniques.

1. Car Crashes Injuries

2. In 2012 more than 2.5 million(7,000 a day) people visited
the Emergency Room because of a motor car crashes.

3. Of those, 200,000 required to be hospitalized for a period
of time afterwards, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Preventions latest Vital Signs report.

4. The lifetime cost of these crashes totaled an estimated $18
billion consisting of emergency room visits ($8 billion) and
hospitalized patients ($10 billion).

5. The CDC also estimates that $33 billion in lifetime work
(individuals who can no longer work due to injuries) was
lost as well.

6. Reports of Car Crashes

7. The report finds that individuals aged 15-29 were the
highest risk for motor car crash injuries.

8. They alone made up almost 1 million of the 2. 5
million(38%) documented injuries for 2012.

9. However, the highest percentage of hospitalized
individuals came from the 80 years or older demographic,
where 33% of them ended up requiring hospitalization.

10. The average cost for an emergency room visit was around
$3,300 while the average hospitalization bill was
approximately $57,000 over the course of a lifetime.

11. 75% of these costs were occurred in the first 18 months
after the crash.

12. Despite the findings, there is good news.

13. Car Crashes Reduced

14. Compared to 2002, there were 400,000 fewer emergency
room visits and 5,700 fewer hospital stays in 2012.

15. The CDC estimates that $1.7 billion was saved in medical
costs and $2.3 billion was saved in work loss due to efforts
over the years to enhance driver safety.

16. Although car crashes have reduced in volume over the
years, there is still quite a bit of room for improvement.

17. The CDC recognizes 12 effective motor vehicle injury
prevention techniques proven to reduce the risk to drivers
and that increase driver safety while driving.

18. Some examples are sobriety checkpoints and ignition locks
for convicted drinking and driving, a more comprehensive
driver licensing system for teens, improved child safety with
required car/booster seats for children under 8 or less than
57 inches tall, and seat belt laws for everyone in the car.

19. Equipped with these suggested state safety regulations and
safer and smarter cars on the road, motor car crashes
should be primed to see a significant decrease in lifetime
emergency room and hospitalization costs in the future.