The American Automobile Association (AAA) has released a report that examines the costs of roadway crashes to society. According to AAA, the study is designed to raise awareness of the importance of transportation investments, and to provide policy makers, departments of transportation, and the public with information on the magnitude of the safety problem.

From the report summary:

In every city, the crash costs on a per person basis exceed the congestion costs. Overall, crash costs are nearly two and half times those of congestion. For very large urban areas (over 3 million), crash costs are nearly double those of congestion; for large urban areas (1 million to less than 3 million), crash costs are nearly two and a half times more than congestion; for medium-sized urban areas (500,000 to less than 1 million), crash costs are over four times more than congestion; and for small urban areas (less than 500,000), crashes are seven times more costly than congestion.