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Mandatory Helmet Use and the Severity of Motorcycle Accidents: No Brainer?†

Author

Listed:
  • Magdalena Blanco
  • José María Cabrera
  • Felipe Carozzi
  • Alejandro Cid

Abstract

We study the impact of mandatory motorcycle helmet use laws on the severity and volume of road accidents in Uruguay by exploiting a change in the enforcement of the traffic law. Using event-study, differences-in-difference and synthetic control methods, we report a sharp increase in helmet use and a 40 percent reduction in the incidence of serious or fatal motorcyclist accidents. We find no evidence of other behavioral responses in terms of either the volume or type of accidents. We show that additional costs of enforcement for the relevant government agencies were negligible and estimate the health benefits of the policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Magdalena Blanco & José María Cabrera & Felipe Carozzi & Alejandro Cid, 2019. "Mandatory Helmet Use and the Severity of Motorcycle Accidents: No Brainer?†," Documentos de Trabajo/Working Papers 1906, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Economia. Universidad de Montevideo..
    • Handle: RePEc:mnt:wpaper:1906
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Ijaz & Lan Liu & Yahya Almarhabi & Arshad Jamal & Sheikh Muhammad Usman & Muhammad Zahid, 2022. "Temporal Instability of Factors Affecting Injury Severity in Helmet-Wearing and Non-Helmet-Wearing Motorcycle Crashes: A Random Parameter Approach with Heterogeneity in Means and Variances," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-24, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Law Enforcement; Safety and Accidents; Helmet Use;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • H89 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Other

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