THE IMPACT OF MINIMUM DRINKING AGE LAWS ON FATAL CRASH INVOLVEMENTS: AN UPDATE OF THE NHTSA ANALYSIS
This study updates a 1985 NHTSA analysis of the impact Minimum Drinking Age Laws (MDA) have on traffic fatalities (HS-806 902, Nov. 1985). The 1985 study estimated that MDAs are 13% effective in reducing traffic fatalities involving drivers that were no longer legally permitted to consume alcohol. This updated analysis confirms the 13% estimate. Using more crash data, the analysis indicates that MDAs are 12% effective in reducing traffic fatalities involving affected drivers. The 12% estimate is consistent with the 13% estimate in that it is within the statistical range surrounding the 13% estimate. This research note describes the method used to calculate the estimate of MDA effectiveness and presents the estimated number of lives saved by MDAs for each year (1975-1987) as well as the cumulative number of lives saved. The conclusion is that MDAs saved between 977 to 1071 lives in 1987 and 7433 to 8142 lives cumulatively between 1975-1987.
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Authors:
- Womble, K B
- Publication Date: 1992
Media Info
- Features: References; Tables;
- Pagination: 3 p.
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Serial:
- RESEARCH NOTES NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
- Publisher: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Fatalities; Impacts; Laws; Legal drinking age; Measures of effectiveness; Reduction (Chemistry); Traffic crashes
- Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
- Old TRIS Terms: Reduction
- Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00620468
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report/Paper Numbers: HS-041 089
- Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Mar 31 1992 12:00AM