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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:36 pm
Time: 8:36 pm
Results for traffic fatalities
4 results foundAuthor: Cook, Philip J. Title: The Virtuous Tax: Lifesaving and Crime-Prevention Effects of the 1991 Federal Alcohol-Tax Increase Summary: On January 1, 1991, the federal excise tax on beer doubled, and the tax rates on wine and liquor increased as well. These changes are larger than the typical state-level changes that have been used to study the effect of price on alcohol abuse and its consequences. In this paper, we develop a method to estimate some important effects of those large 1991 changes, exploiting the interstate differences in alcohol consumption. We demonstrate that the relative importance of drinking in traffic fatalities is closely tied to per capita alcohol consumption across states. As a result, we expect that the proportional effects of the federal tax increase on traffic fatalities would be positively correlated with per capita consumption. We demonstrate that this is indeed the case, and infer estimates of the price elasticity and lives saved in each state. We repeat this exercise for other injury-fatality rates, and for nine categories of crime. For each outcome, the estimated effect of the tax increase is negatively related to average consumption, and that relationship is highly significant for the overall injury death rate, the violent crime rate, and the property crime rate. A conservative estimate is that the federal tax reduced injury deaths by 4.7%, or almost 7,000, in 1991. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper No. 17709: Accessed January 12, 2012 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17709 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w17709 Shelf Number: 123564 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime, DisorderDrunk DrivingFederal TaxationTraffic Fatalities |
Author: Anderson, D. Mark Title: Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities, and Alcohol Consumption Summary: To date, 16 states have passed medical marijuana laws, yet very little is known about their effects. Using state-level data, we examine the relationship between medical marijuana laws and a variety of outcomes. Legalization of medical marijuana is associated with increased use of marijuana among adults, but not among minors. In addition, legalization is associated with a nearly 9 percent decrease in traffic fatalities, most likely to due to its impact on alcohol consumption. Our estimates provide strong evidence that marijuana and alcohol are substitutes. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA DP No. 6112: Accessed January 18, 2012 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp6112.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp6112.pdf Shelf Number: 123651 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseDriving Under the InfluenceMedical MarijuanaTraffic Fatalities |
Author: Huseth, Andrea Title: Alcohol Consumption Patterns in North Dakota: Survey of DUI Offenders Summary: The state of North Dakota consistently has one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities involving alcohol in the nation. Since 2003, the state has led the nation twice, has been in the top four on five occasions, and has been in the top quarter every year for the proportion of traffic fatalities that involve any alcohol. Because of the high rates of impaired driving in North Dakota, the North Dakota Department of Transportation's Traffic Safety Office created a DUI offender survey to better understand the tendencies and behaviors of those who choose to drink and drive. Initiated in Fiscal Year 2010, the survey was designed to identify consumption patterns in North Dakota's driving population. The survey was designed to assist with both traffic safety program development and evaluation to help state officials better understand the nature of impaired driving in the state. The survey was distributed through a partnership with the state's alcohol assessment and treatment providers. The survey asked individuals about a variety of topics related to their decision to drink and drive. The survey included questions about the last place where alcohol was consumed, the type of vehicle the offender was driving, if a designated driver was available, the amount of alcohol they had been consuming, if anyone tried to prevent the offender from driving, and other similar questions. The purpose of the survey was to understand the decisions and behavior patterns of individuals who have chosen to drive after drinking. State officials and others can then use this knowledge in media efforts, goal setting, and preventative measures. The objective of this study was to analyze data from past DUI offender surveys. The goal was for the findings to be a resource for improving traffic safety program functionality and effectiveness in reducing the tendency of North Dakotans to drive after drinking alcohol. Details: Fargo, ND: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP254.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP254.pdf Shelf Number: 131918 Keywords: Driving Under the InfluenceDrunk DrivingTraffic Fatalities |
Author: Marques, Paul R. Title: Examination of the Feasibility of Alcohol Interlocks for Motorcycles Summary: This report reviews information on alcohol ignition interlocks to help determine whether they can serve as an appropriate DUI countermeasure when installed on motorcycles operated by offenders convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. While most licensed motorcycle operators can also drive a regular passenger vehicle, there are some riders that either do not own cars or that prefer to ride a motorcycle at least some of the time during their interlock stipulated period. The report also summarizes findings uncovered in the process of trying to understand and disentangle issues of perceived liability, technical barriers, statutory or legislative barriers, and other factors related to motorcycle interlock usage. The number of motorcyclist fatalities from 2002 to 2011 increased from 3,270 to 4,612, and peaked at 5,312 in 2008 (NHTSA, 2013b). A large portion of fatal motorcycle crashes are associated with alcohol impairment. In 2010 some 28 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were alcohol impaired with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. In 2011 this increased to 30 percent of motorcycle riders with BACs of .08 grams per deciliter or higher in fatal crashes. The role of alcohol in fatal motorcycle crashes is greater than for any other vehicle type. This has resulted in an increased focus upon reducing impaired motorcycle operation. In recent years, alcohol ignition interlock devices have been used to curb impaired operation of passenger vehicles. It may be that these devices could be usefully extended to help reduce impaired riding, as well. Today, the average efficacy of interlock programs -estimated from a dozen studies and pertaining only to the period while the interlock is installed on the vehicle - has been estimated as a 64-percent reduction of DUI recidivism (Willis, Lybrand, & Bellamy, 2004; Marques, 2009; Elder et al., 2011). All the evidence bearing on efficacy and effectiveness of interlocks as a DUI countermeasure, and nearly all of the installations have been on 4-wheeled passenger vehicles or light trucks. Motorcycle interlocks are relatively uncommon and have never been subjected to an efficacy evaluation. The apparent potential of ignition interlocks to reduce impaired riding suggested the need for an independent study to understand the feasibility of alcohol ignition interlocks for motorcycles. However, as of June 2010, the majority of manufacturers and installation-only service providers did not install their interlock devices on motorcycles, and/or interpret State regulations as disallowing motorcycle installation. On the other hand, at least two of the major manufacturers will allow their devices to be installed at service centers if staff members there are familiar with motorcycle wiring. Those companies that do permit installation require some form of liability waiver signed by the motorcycle operator. There are States with laws and policies that prohibit the installation of interlocks on motorcycles, and other States that permit or even require companies to install interlocks on motorcycles. Details: Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2017. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2018 at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/812423_motorcycleinterlocks.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/812423_motorcycleinterlocks.pdf Shelf Number: 151454 Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices Driving Under the Influence Motorcycles Policy Traffic Fatalities |