Road crashes are costing Canterbury $1.4 million a day, figures show.
The New Zealand Transport Agency's Canterbury Road Safety Report estimates the social cost of fatal, serious and minor road crashes last year at a staggering $4.3 billion nationally, with Canterbury's share amounting to $509.6m, or about $1.4m a day.
The social cost combines the loss of life and life quality with the loss of output due to injuries, medical costs, legal costs and property damage.
The average value of a loss of life is estimated by the amount the public would be willing to pay for a safety improvement to prevent a death.
Based on the report's findings, the crash that claimed the lives of two people in Christchurch on Thursday night would have a $3.8 million cost, the average cost of a fatal urban crash.
Poor observation, poor handling, speeding, fatigue and alcohol were cited as factors in Canterbury crashes.
Cycling Advocates Network spokesman Patrick Morgan said that more than one million people cycled in New Zealand and more needed to be done to educate drivers and cyclists about road safety.
The network was working with agencies on lowering urban traffic speed and was holding workshops with bus drivers on cycling awareness.
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