What can a life cost? Niek Mouter tells about the research in Stand van Nederland

Niek Mouter was asked to talk about the PWE research into the value of a human life in Stand van Nederland. In various formats, it was shown that the Dutch, as consumers and citizens, attach a completely different value to this. As a consumer (driver), they find it more important to get to their destination quickly and road safety plays a relatively minor role. As citizens, they believe that the government should invest relatively much in road safety and relatively little in shortening travel times.

The question then is which preferences should the government use when assessing government policy? Consumer preferences are currently being used, but perhaps it is also relevant for the government to look at citizen preferences when making considerations?

The program makers of Stand van Nederland repeated this research and came to the same results.

• Watch the episode (in Dutch): 'Wat mag een leven kosten?'
  Stand Van Nederland, 30 June 2022