The impact of highway safety regulation enforcement activities on motor vehicle fatalities

This paper analyzes the influence of highway safety regulation enforcement efforts on motor vehicle fatalities. It estimates a regression model in which such deaths depend on these efforts as well as economic conditions, driver characteristics, government regulations, and locational factors, using 1973-2000 annual Ohio data. Statistically significant results indicate that the enforcement measure of drunk driving arrests saves lives. They also suggest that highway deaths increase with the following: better economic conditions, greater alcohol consumption, larger proportions of young and old drivers, higher speed limits, and more driving on rural roads. The trend in deaths is downward.