COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSE SUSPENSIONS. FINAL REPORT

This report summarizes a study of the costs and benefits associated with the implementation of laws calling for the administrative suspension of driver licenses for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Such laws generally call for speedy license suspension or revocation for persons arrested for DWI who are at illegal breath alcohol concentrations. The experience of three states was studied. They were Nevada, Mississippi and Illinois. Costs associated with implementation of administrative suspension or revocation laws were identified as well as additional revenues to the states attributable to the law in the form of license reinstatement fees. Transfer payments from the Federal Government for which the states qualified through implementation of administrative revocation for DWI were also identified as were societal benefits as indicated by reduced crash costs. In each state license reinstatement fees more than offset costs associated with implementing the law and reductions in crash costs were well over 100 times the cost of implementation. The major study recommendation is that other states give serious consideration to administrative license suspension for DWI.

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/1585
• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  Highway Safety Research Center
  Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599

  Mid-America Research Institute, Incorporated

  Winchester, MA  United States  01890

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Lacey, J H
  • Jones, R K
  • Stewart, J R
• Publication Date: 1991-1

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: v.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Cost effectiveness; Driver licenses; Drunk driving; Laws; Per se laws; Revocation; Suspensions
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver license suspension
• Geographic Terms: Illinois; Mississippi; Nevada
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver license revocation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00622637
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-807 689
• Contract Numbers: DTNH22-88-C-07310
• Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1996 12:00AM