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Reducing death on the road: The effects of minimum safety standards, publicized crash tests, seat belts, and alcohol

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  • Robertson, L.S.

Abstract

Objectives. Two phases of attempts to improve passenger car crashworthiness have occurred: minimum safety standards and publicized crash tests. This study evaluated these attempts, as well as changes in seat belt and alcohol use, in terms of their effect on occupant death and fatal crash rates. Methods. Data on passenger car occupant fatalities and total involvement in fatal crashes, for 1975 through 1991, were obtained from the Fatal Accident Reporting System. Rates per mile were calculated through published sources on vehicle use by vehicle age. Regression estimates of effects of regulation, publicized crash tests, seat belt use, and alcohol involvement were obtained. Results. Substantial reductions in fatalities occurred in the vehicle model years from the late 1960s through most of the 1970s, when federal standards were applied. Some additional increments in reduced death rates, attributable to additional improved vehicle crashworthiness, occurred during the period of publicized crash tests. Increased seat belt use and reduced alcohol use also contributed significantly to reduced deaths. Conclusions. Minimum safety standards, crashworthiness improvements, seat belt use laws, and reduced alcohol use each contributed to a large reduction in passenger car occupant deaths.

Suggested Citation

  • Robertson, L.S., 1996. "Reducing death on the road: The effects of minimum safety standards, publicized crash tests, seat belts, and alcohol," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 86(1), pages 31-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1996:86:1:31-34_2
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    Cited by:

    1. Wróbel, Krzysztof & Montewka, Jakub & Kujala, Pentti, 2018. "Towards the development of a system-theoretic model for safety assessment of autonomous merchant vessels," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 209-224.
    2. P. A. Scuffham, 2003. "Economic factors and traffic crashes in New Zealand," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 179-188.
    3. Stéphan Marette, 2007. "Minimum safety standard, consumers’ information and competition," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 259-285, December.
    4. Martin Byford & Sinclair Davidson, 2013. "Informing Depositors: A Proposed Reform Of The Australian Banking Sector," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 32(4), pages 417-425, December.
    5. Garrett C. Waycaster & Taiki Matsumura & Volodymyr Bilotkach & Raphael T. Haftka & Nam H. Kim, 2018. "Review of Regulatory Emphasis on Transportation Safety in the United States, 2002–2009: Public versus Private Modes," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(5), pages 1085-1101, May.
    6. Scott Kaplan & Ben Gordon & Feras El Zarwi & Joan L. Walker & David Zilberman, 2019. "The Future of Autonomous Vehicles: Lessons from the Literature on Technology Adoption," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(4), pages 583-597, December.

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