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Are Minimum Wages a Silent Killer? New Evidence on Drunk Driving Fatalities

Author

Listed:
  • Joseph J. Sabia

    (San Diego State University, University of New Hampshire, ESSPRI, and IZA)

  • M. Melinda Pitts

    (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta)

  • Laura M. Argys

    (University of Colorado Denver and IZA)

Abstract

In volume 94 of this REVIEW, Adams, Blackburn, and Cotti (ABC), using Fatal Accident Reporting System data from 1998 to 2006, find that a 10% increase in the minimum wage is associated with a 7% to 11% increase in alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents involving teen drivers. We find this result does not hold when the analysis period is expanded to include 1991 through 2013. In addition, auxiliary analyses provide no support for income-driven increases in alcohol consumption, the primary mechanism posited by ABC. Together, our results suggest that minimum wage increases are not a silent killer.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph J. Sabia & M. Melinda Pitts & Laura M. Argys, 2019. "Are Minimum Wages a Silent Killer? New Evidence on Drunk Driving Fatalities," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(1), pages 192-199, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:101:y:2019:i:1:p:192-199
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen Huang & Feng Liu & Shijun You, 2021. "The impact of minimum wage increases on cigarette smoking," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(9), pages 2063-2091, September.
    2. Dow, Wiiliam H & Godoey, Anna & Lowenstein, Christopher A & Reich, Michael, 2019. "Can Economic Policies Reduce Deaths of Despair? Working Paper #104-19," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series qt14f015df, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley.
    3. Daniel I. Rees & Joseph J. Sabia & Gokhan Kumpas, 2022. "Anti‐Bullying Laws and Suicidal Behaviors Among Teenagers," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(3), pages 787-823, June.
    4. Fone, Zachary S. & Sabia, Joseph J. & Cesur, Resul, 2023. "The unintended effects of minimum wage increases on crime," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    5. Sen Choudhury, Rebecca & Conway, Karen Smith, 2020. "The effect of tobacco policies on youth physical activity," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    6. William H. Dow & Anna Godøy & Christopher A. Lowenstein & Michael Reich, 2019. "Can Economic Policies Reduce Deaths of Despair?," NBER Working Papers 25787, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Leigh, J. Paul, 2021. "Treatment design, health outcomes, and demographic categories in the literature on minimum wages and health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    8. David Neumark, 2023. "The Effects of Minimum Wages on (Almost) Everything? A Review of Recent Evidence on Health and Related Behaviors," NBER Working Papers 31191, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Brandyn F. Churchill, 2024. "State‐mandated school‐based BMI assessments and self‐reported adolescent health behaviors," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(1), pages 63-86, January.
    10. Otto Lenhart, 2020. "Pathways Between Minimum Wages and Health: The Roles of Health Insurance, Health Care Access and Health Care Utilization," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(3), pages 438-459, June.
    11. Otto Lenhart, 2019. "Higher Wages, Less Gym Time? The Effects of Minimum Wages on Time Use," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(1), pages 253-270, July.
    12. Richard V. Burkhauser & Drew McNichols & Joseph J. Sabia, 2023. "Minimum Wages and Poverty: New Evidence from Dynamic Difference-in-Differences Estimates," NBER Working Papers 31182, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Dow, William H. & Godøy, Anna & Lowenstein, Christopher & Reich, Michael, 2020. "Can Labor Market Policies Reduce Deaths of Despair?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

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