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.