Citation

Nesson E, Shrestha V. Health Econ. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/hec.4376

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We examine the effects of policies aimed at restricting the use of false identification to purchase alcohol on traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired underage drivers. We find that the implementation of policies that incentivize alcohol retailers to adopt ID scanners reduces traffic fatalities from accidents involving 16-18 year old drivers with a BAC >0, but we do not find that similar policies like vertical ID laws lead to statistically significant changes in traffic fatalities involving underage impaired drivers. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that if all remaining states passed ID scanner laws, the reduction in underage alcohol-related fatal accidents would generate over $400 million in annual economic benefits.

Keywords: Ethanol impaired driving

Language: en

Keywords

alcohol related traffic fatalities; drunk driving; DWI; fake ID; false ID; scanner provisions; underage alcohol consumption; vertical ID laws