FACT sheet 8

A message about
the impact of
road injury
! Talk with friends and family about safer driving and
the consequences of a road crash. Some of the
Road injury and
death impacts consequences are:
the Australian
community in
• loss of life or serious permanent injury to passengers
many ways. At a
and other road users
worldwide level it
is estimated that
• motor vehicle damage
nearly 1.3 million • loss of life or serious, permanent injury to
people die in road
themselves
crashes each year,
and an additional • loss of driver’s licence and the implications of this
20-50 million to their lifestyle, welfare and job
people are injured
or disabled (World
Health Organisation
• increased insurance premiums and excesses
website, 2014).
• driving convictions and penalties (eg fines, vehicle
Apart from the confiscation, loss of licence).
direct physical
effects, families Although the list of crash consequences below is very
have to try and comprehensive, remember that the messages listed above have
cope with the death been shown to have a greater impact among young people.
or disability of a
family member
Crash Consequences
involved in a road
crash. This has a Financial Social Legal Emotional Physical
large impact in property travel delays loss of mental pain and
terms of emotional damage
use of
licence trauma suffering
and financial stress. loss of community criminal guilt and disability
The consequences income funds record regret
death
of a road crash ambulance loss of demerit depression
hospitalisation
not only effect the fees and freedom points
family
medical costs harm to others
individuals involved loss of loss of trauma
in the crash, funeral licence vehicle recovery
reliance
but witnesses, expenses rehabilitation
loss of job legal fees on friends,
emergency workers, repair costs family
loss of imprisonment
families, friends, increased income, or
Aboriginal law
impact on
workmates and the insurance reduced relationships
premiums income
larger community. quality of
shame life

Keys for Life is a pre-driver education program for young people and
their parents that aims to develop positive attitudes towards driving.