An Empirical Test of the Offset Hypothesis

This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data

An Empirical Test of the Offset Hypothesis

Author Info

Sen, Anindya

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Anindya Sen

Abstract

I exploit cross-province and time-series variation in Canadian mandatory seat belt legislation to empirically test the offset hypothesis. The results of this study offer modest evidence of the existence of offsetting behavior by drivers. Specifically, increased use of seat belts by drivers after the enactment of seat belt legislation should have led to a 29 percent decrease in driver fatalities. However, econometric estimates indicate that the introduction of seat belt legislation is significantly correlated with only a 21 percent decline in driver fatalities. Furthermore, the use of legislative and nonlegislative factors to control for the effects of independent determinants of traffic fatalities is critical, as the omission of these effects implies that seat belt laws are associated with roughly a 32 percent decrease in driver deaths, thus implying an absence of significant offsetting behavior. Copyright 2001 by the University of Chicago.

Download Info
To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
1. Check below under "Related research" whether another version of this item is available online.
2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

Publisher Info
Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Law & Economics.

Volume (Year): 44 (2001)
Issue (Month): 2 (October)
Pages: 481-510
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:v:44:y:2001:i:2:p:481-510

Contact details of provider:
Postal: The University of Chicago Press, Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005 Chicago, IL 60637
Fax: (773) 753-0811
Email:
Web page: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JLE/

Order Information:
Web: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JLE/order1.html

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Christopher F. Baum).

Related research
Keywords:

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

Thomas Traynor, 2003. "The impact of safety regulations on externalities," Atlantic Economic Journal, International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 31(1), pages 62-70, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Clifford Winston & Vikram Maheshri & Fred Mannering, 2006. "An exploration of the offset hypothesis using disaggregate data: The case of airbags and antilock brakes," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 83-99, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Liqun Liu, 2008. "Spillover of cause-specific longevity interventions: an independent mortality risk model," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 193-201, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Kopits, Elizabeth & Cropper, Maureen, 2005. "Why have traffic fatalities declined in industrialized countries ? Implications for pedestrians and vehicle occupants," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3678, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]

Statistics

Access and download statistics

Did you know? IDEAS also indexes book chapters.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-16.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.