Saving lives and dollars : highway safety contribution to health care reform and deficit reduction.

The relationship between motor vehicle injuries and fatalities, health care costs, and income taxes was analyzed for four situations: a 1990 baseline, achievement of modest goals for safety improvements, population growth with constant injury and fatality rates, and the effect of higher injury and fatality rates. Total health care costs, publicity funded health care costs, lost income tax revenue, and increased public assistance were estimated at the Federal level, and at the state and local level.