OBJECTIVES: To calculate the health care cost of traffic accidents occurring in night or daylight under low visibility. METHODS: Data on traffic accidents derive from the database of Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO). We assessed the cost of both health services in kind and health services in cash. The direct cost related to traffic accidents were derived from the financial database of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration, the only health care financing agency in Hungary (Hungarian DRG point system version 5.0). Cost of benefits in cash was calculated with an average sick pay. The average recovery period of patients with traffic accidents was assumed 4 months. RESULTS: A total of 20635 persons were injured and 1106 persons were died on the road by traffic accident. 45 percent of casualty has been taken in night or daylight under low visibility. Average cost of restricted visibility accidents is 510886 HUF per capita (approx. 2041 EURO). We calculated an average sick pay 119365 HUF (approx. 477 Euro) per capita per month. The expenditures of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration could easily reach the 17 billion HUF (approx. 67.9 million Euro) per years. CONCLUSIONS: Traffic accidents and subsequent medical conditions are important burden for the Hungarian health insurance system with an annual expenditure of 17 billion HUF (97,9 million EURO). Better illumination, law regulation, appropriate education and traffic instructions might decrease the costs related to accidents on the road.