At CameraMatics, our mission is clear: to prevent accidents before they happen. We work towards a culture of zero – zero accidents, zero injuries, and zero emissions. But you might wonder, what do preventing accidents and sustainability have in common? How does road safety relate to reducing carbon emissions?
Let’s face it: daily commutes almost always involve some sort of incident. Whether it’s a fender bender or something more serious, accidents are a common reality on our roads. In larger cities and even smaller towns, delays due to accidents are frequent, often disrupting the flow of traffic for extended periods. When we exclude minor accidents where both parties walk away unharmed and focus on those that cause significant delays – typically over 30 minutes – along with the involvement of emergency services, policing, and breakdown teams, we begin to see a much larger picture. These accidents don’t just disrupt traffic; they create a ripple effect that impacts the environment in ways we often overlook.
With vehicles idling and burning fuel inefficiently in traffic for extended periods – sometimes hours – they significantly increase carbon emissions. But this is just a small piece of the puzzle – the true environmental impact of accidents is far broader and more complex….
The emissions of road accidents: a hidden polluter
Approximately 1.19 million people die worldwide every year as a result of crashes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the exact number of non-fatal accidents is difficult to determine, it’s safe to say that tens of millions of traffic accidents occur worldwide every year, ranging from minor collisions to serious crashes.
When these accidents happen, they cause a ripple effect on traffic, with vehicles idling for extended periods in bumper-to-bumper jams, waiting for the roads to clear. While the impact this has on emissions might seem obvious, the numbers are staggering when considered on a global scale.
Globally, road transport accounts for roughly 7 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. One study estimates that one major accident blocking traffic for 30 minutes on a busy road could cause local CO₂ emissions to rise by 30-40%. Over the course of a year, these traffic incidents contribute to about 200 million metric tonnes of CO₂ – to put that into perspective, that is the equivalent to the annual emissions of an entire medium-sized country, like Thailand or the Netherlands.
But there’s more to the impact than just idling cars. Severe accidents require a coordinated emergency response. Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and sometimes even hazardous material teams descend on the scene, each vehicle adding to the emissions load. On top of this, if there’s a need for road repairs, heavy machinery emits further CO₂ as it works to restore road safety.
A breakdown of the environmental cost by accident severity
Every accident is different, but the level of emergency response – and therefore the environmental impact – typically scales with the severity of the accident. Here’s a quick overview of how this works:
- Minor accidents (No injuries): Even in cases where no one is injured, there’s often a need for one or two police units and a tow truck. While these are producing relatively low emissions compared to a full emergency response, they still add to emissions due to the idling police vehicles and the work of the tow truck.
- Moderate accidents (possible injuries or vehicle damage): With vehicle damage or injuries, more police units may be needed for traffic control and investigation. Typically, one or two ambulances and at least one fire truck are on hand for safety and emergency medical support, with a tow truck to clear the vehicles involved. Each additional vehicle at the scene adds to the overall CO₂ emissions, especially if they’re idling for long periods.
- Severe accidents (injuries, fires, or hazardous materials): Severe accidents are complex events that often require a much larger emergency response. These incidents can involve multiple police units, ambulances, several fire trucks, and, in many cases, specialized HazMat teams. When commercial vehicles are involved, especially those carrying hazardous materials, the situation becomes even more serious. The increased scale of response – ranging from heavy-duty tow trucks to additional emergency services – significantly raises the emissions impact. In these situations, the carbon footprint of the emergency response can easily reach hundreds or even thousands of kilograms of CO₂.
Hidden emissions: more than just idling engines
Beyond just traffic congestion and emergency response, accidents also contribute to excess emissions in several other, less obvious ways:
- Fuel spills and fires: In many severe accidents, fuel spills occur, especially when commercial vehicles are involved. Not only does spilled fuel contaminate the ground, but it also evaporates, releasing hydrocarbons into the air, which contribute indirectly to carbon emissions. Fires can also break out in these cases, burning fuel, vehicle parts, and sometimes hazardous cargo, leading to a significant spike in local CO₂ levels.
- Post-accident cleanup and road repairs: Cleanup efforts, from removing debris to repairing roads, are usually done with heavy machinery and diesel-powered equipment. This equipment adds emissions from fuel consumption and from the resources needed to repair or replace damaged roads.
- Supply chain disruptions: Commercial vehicle accidents can disrupt the supply chain, which leads to rerouting cargo and requiring additional trips from other vehicles to complete deliveries. This can add to the emissions of an entire fleet over a given period, creating a ripple effect across industries that rely on just-in-time logistics.
- Repairing vehicles: Manufacturing replacement parts from raw materials involves mining, refining, and processing metals and plastics, which generates Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Energy-intensive components like steel and aluminium have particularly high carbon footprints. Repair facilities also require significant energy for machinery, lighting, HVAC, and other systems; depending on the energy grid, these may rely on fossil fuels. Repainting, often needed after collisions, releases VOCs and requires energy-intensive curing methods, all of which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Shipping and logistics: Additional emissions arise from the logistics of shipping replacement parts, particularly those sourced internationally. Transporting parts over long distances, especially by air or road, adds further emissions to the overall repair process.
Accident prevention: a climate solution
It’s clear that road accidents aren’t just about the human and economic cost. They have a direct environmental toll, one that could be significantly reduced through accident prevention. At CameraMatics, our innovative proactive solutions prevent accidents, reduce emissions and work towards a safer, more sustainable future.
Our technology is designed to identify risks before they become serious accidents, empowering drivers and fleets to make smarter decisions on the road. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, accident prevention is a powerful, often overlooked tool. With the right technology and a commitment to safety, we can help drive change not only in road safety but also in emissions reduction.
Driving sustainability on the road to zero
Preventing accidents isn’t just about saving lives. Vehicle accidents have a far-reaching ripple effect, impacting human lives, financial stability, and emissions in ways we still haven’t fully quantified. As we delve deeper into the human, financial, and environmental costs, one thing is clear: preventing accidents and reducing emissions isn’t just an idealistic goal – it’s a vitally important cog in the Vision Zero wheel. Zero accidents and zero emissions may seem ambitious, but with today’s advancements in technology, it’s increasingly achievable, and by doing so, we’re building a safer, more sustainable transportation industry for everyone.
