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From: minow@decvax.UUCP (Martin Minow)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.auto
Subject: Re: Massachusetts seat belt law
Message-ID: <146@decvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Dec-85 18:35:26 EST
Article-I.D.: decvax.146
Posted: Thu Dec 19 18:35:26 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 20:41:22 EST
References: <294@frog.UUCP> <751@mit-eddie.UUCP> <8110@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: minow@decvax.UUCP (Martin minow)
Organization: DEC - ULTRIX Engineering Group
Lines: 22

"alex" asks whether independent studies have been done estimating
the costs of not wearing seat belts.

Two studies were done in Sweden in the early/mid 1970's.  One
carefully estimated the total cost to society of "cleaning up"
after a traffic fatality (exclusive of insurance payments,
as I recall).  This included the cost of police and medical
emergency services, as well as more general "social" costs
(the child eventually pays for his education by becoming
a contributing taxpayer, for example).  In round numbers,
cleaning up the mess costs about $50,000 per accident.

A second study examined every fatal accident with Volvos during
one year.  Particpants included Volvo, the insurance companies,
TSV (the motor-vechicle bureau), and the people who normally
investigate airplane crashes.  There were 131 fatalities.
129 were not wearing seat belts.

Shortly thereafter, Sweden passed a mandatory seat belt law.

Martin Minow
decvax!minow