Alcohol can also cause alterations in the vestibular system for short periods of time and will result in vertigo and possibly nystagmus. This is due to the variable viscosity of the blood and the endolymph during the consumption of alcohol. The common term for this type of sensation is the Bed Spins.
They pose a threat that's both tragic -- and expensive. All-told, each traffic fatality costs an average of $6 million dollars -- everything from medical and emergency services to lost earnings. A traffic injury averages $126,000, and almost 33,000 people die every year on the nation's roads.
Key data in the estimation of crash costs are the number of fatal and non-fatal casualties, the number of crashes, and the number of vehicles damaged. There were 1602 road fatalities in 1455 crashes in 2006. A fatal crash resulted in an average. of 1.1 deaths and involved on average 1.3 vehicles.