Deterring drunk driving fatalities: an economics of crime perspective

Benson, Bruce L.; Rasmussen, David W.; Mast, Brent D.

doi:10.1016/s0144-8188(99)00005-8

Cited by 63 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…These studies typically estimate policies' effects on traffic fatalities using panel data analyses that exploit variation in the dates these policies are adopted by different states. Differences in technique, sample, and controls have often yielded variable or conflicting results, as with the laws mentioned above (Dee, 2001;Eisenberg, 2003;Freeman, 2007;Grant, 2006;Mast, Benson, and Rasmussen, 1999;Ruhm, 1996). These studies are also inherently retrospective, and so cannot be used to analyze proposed changes in the law.…”

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confidence: 99%

Optimal Drunk Driving Penalty Structure

Grant

2007

SSRN Journal

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Abstract:The expected penalty for drunk driving can and does vary by blood alcohol content. This paper outlines the "penalty structure" that does this optimally, using two different metrics, shows how the optimality conditions can be implemented with available data to analyze policy ex ante or ex post, and then uses these findings to investigate four fundamental features of current U.S. drunk driving policy. The paper provides theoretical and empirical support for large penalties at very high alcohol concentrations, but not for reductions in per se blood alcohol thresholds, the most significant recent change in drunk driving policy.JEL Codes: K14, I18, C61, D61

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confidence: 99%

Optimal Drunk Driving Penalty Structure

Grant

2007

SSRN Journal

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“…By contrast, Benson, Rasmussen and Mast (1999) report that the only effective enforcement-oriented laws are those that increase the probability that a drunk driver will be pulled over by police.…”

Section: Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Policies targeting drunk driving include alcohol taxes, increases in the legal drinking age, educational efforts, more stringent blood alcohol content (BAC) limits, and increased punishments for those arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). 2 In this paper we evaluate the impact of an additional policy instrument for reducing the incidence of drunk driving: the supply of substance abuse treatment (SAT).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5 In order to assess the impact of increased SAT on reductions in traffic fatalities, we would ideally observe data on: the individuals who may receive treatment, the individuals who do receive treatment, the effect of treatment on drug and alcohol consumption, and finally the 1 Levitt and Porter (2001) estimate that drunk drivers are 15 times more likely than sober drivers to cause a fatal accident. 2 Benson, Rasmussen and Mast (1999) discuss the effectiveness of these policies. 3 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Substance Abuse Treatment and Motor Vehicle Fatalities

Freeborn

McManus

2010

Southern Economic Journal

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The danger of alcohol-and drug-impaired driving implies that policies that reduce substance abuse can save lives. Using several estimation approaches, we show that a US county's supply of substance abuse treatment facilities is negatively and significantly related to the county's number of motor vehicle deaths. We find that placing an additional treatment clinic in a county reduces the number of vehicle fatalities by 8%. An additional outpatient clinic, which specializes in treating the local population, can reduce the overall number of traffic deaths by 13% and the number of alcohol-related deaths by 24%. JEL Codes: I1, I18, K42

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“…In the case of drink driving, it seems uncertain whether the severity of punishment has any impact, possibly because the probability of detection is too low for potential convicts to consider punishment a real possibility (for a discussion of other possible explanations, see Houston & Richardson, 2004). Though even this is disputed, it does seem likely that a higher probability of punishment would contribute to the deterrence effect (Benson, Mast & Rasmussen, 1999;Austrian Road Safety Board, 2003, p. 81-84). Increasing the likelihood of punishment would of course require increased policing, which is expensive.…”

Section: Drink Drivingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responsibility, Paternalism and Alcohol Interlocks

Grill

Fahlquist

2012

Public Health Ethics

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Drink driving causes great suffering and material destruction. The alcohol interlock promises to eradicate this problem by technological design. Traditional counter-measures to drink driving such as policing and punishment and information campaigns have proven insufficient. Extensive policing is expensive and intrusive. Severe punishment is disproportionate to the risks created in most single cases. If the interlock becomes inexpensive and convenient enough, and if there are no convincing moral objections to the device, it may prove the only feasible as well as the only justifiable solution to the problem of drink driving. A policy of universal alcohol interlocks, in all cars, has been proposed by several political parties in Sweden and is supported by the National Road Administration and the 2006 Alcohol Interlock Commission. This article assesses two possible moral objections to a policy of universal interlocks: 1) That it displaces the responsibility of individual drivers, and 2) that it constitutes a paternalistic interference with drivers. The first objection is found unconvincing, while the second has only limited bite and may be neutralized if paternalism is accepted for the sake of greater net liberty. Given the expected technological development, the proposed policy seems a commendable health promotion measure for the near future.

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Deterring drunk driving fatalities: an economics of crime perspective

Cited by 63 publications

References 34 publications

Optimal Drunk Driving Penalty Structure

Optimal Drunk Driving Penalty Structure

Substance Abuse Treatment and Motor Vehicle Fatalities

Responsibility, Paternalism and Alcohol Interlocks

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