Calculation the NWI, the costs of traffic accidents are deducted since in the context of a sustainable development they can in no way be seen as beneficial. On the other side, these costs – for health recovery and the repair or acquisition of new cars – are a positive factor within GDP and contrivute to economic growth. Naturally, this applies to accidents at work, sports or at home. Since for these incidents there is no reliable data available we begin with the uncontroversial consideration of traffic accidents. With approved data availability further segments could be included.
Until 2010, he costs of traffic accidents show a downward trend that can primarily be attributed to the significant and pleasing reduction of traffic fatalities.
However, the monetary value of physical damages has risen, with some fluctuations. Since 2010, the costs are more or less stagnating, no further reduction could be stated.
In the long run the aim should be an additional and significant decrease of traffic accidents and the associated social costs. In doing so, a further decrease of personal damages should be aimed at in particular.
The initiative “Vision Zero” is striving for this particular objective and is supported by the German Traffic Security Council. The initiative’s fundamental principle is that in the consideration of different values and aims the protection of human physical integrity always comes first, reaching towards a state where nobody is either killed in traffic accidents or remains with livelong damages.