Hospital Costs of SUVs and Light and Heavy Trucks to Themselves and Others

Project summary:

The proportion of SUVs and trucks on U.S. roads increased from 22% in 1980 to 39% in 2000. Pinar Karaca-Mandic (School of Public Health) will use confidential micro crash data linked to hospital records to assess the hospital costs of trucks and SUVs in the Twin Cities area. The study will assess both internal costs (costs from injuries these vehicles cause to their own passengers) and external costs (costs from injuries sustained by the passengers of other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists). Findings from this research have the potential to guide policy in setting optimal registration fees and sales taxes on SUVs and trucks. In addition, findings may have implications for imposing different licensing requirements for these vehicles. The research team will collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Health's Injury and Violence Prevention Unit, whose mission is to strengthen Minnesota's communities in injury and violence prevention.