HC Deb 11 July 1988 vol 137 cc91-2W
Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost to public funds, for each of the last five years, of motor accidents where excess alcohol consumption was the principal cause.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The information requested is not available in the specified format. Estimates are made of costs of road accidents under five headings, and are given in the table. These are total costs, for all accidents, including damage-only accidents, in Great Britain.

Estimated costs of road accidents: Great Britain: 1986
£ million
Lost output 860
Medical and ambulance costs 150
Police and insurance administration 160
Damage to property 1,170
Pain, grief and suffering 1,470
Total 3,800

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The severity of road accidents, particularly those involving pedestrians, is related to the speed of impact—which is not necessarily the speed of travel. The table indicates that fatality rates are higher on high speed roads.

The costs per accident, by severity, are also estimated, as follows.

Average cost per accident by severity: Great Britain: 1986
Fatal Serious Slight
Lost output 151,203 1,1982 28
Medical and ambulance costs 1,174 2,069 105
Police and insurance administration 347 277 208
Damage to property 1,982 1,568 1,116
Pain, grief and suffering 145,134 12,287 229
Total 299,840 18,182 1,686