TY - JOUR
T1 - Road Traffic Mortality and Economic Uncertainty: Evidence from the United States
AU - Kanavos, Panos
AU - Vandoros, Sotiris
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to the Editor and two anonymous referees for insightful comments and suggestions. We thank Ilias Kyriopoulos and Alina Velias for helpful discussions, and Aurelio Miracolo for data collection and research assistance. All outstanding errors are our own.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Previous studies have shown that financial turbulence is associated with a short-term increase in road traffic collisions, largely due to drivers’ emotional state, distraction, sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. In this paper we advance this debate by studying the association between economic uncertainty and road traffic mortality in the United States. We used a State-level uncertainty index and State fatalities for the period 2008–2017 and found that a one standard deviation increase in economic uncertainty is associated with an additional 0.013 monthly deaths per 100,000 people per State, on average (a 1.1% increase) - or 40 more monthly deaths in total nationwide. Results are robust to different model specifications. Our findings show that, similar to drink-driving, it is important to raise awareness about driving when distracted due to financial worries and during periods of economic uncertainty.
AB - Previous studies have shown that financial turbulence is associated with a short-term increase in road traffic collisions, largely due to drivers’ emotional state, distraction, sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. In this paper we advance this debate by studying the association between economic uncertainty and road traffic mortality in the United States. We used a State-level uncertainty index and State fatalities for the period 2008–2017 and found that a one standard deviation increase in economic uncertainty is associated with an additional 0.013 monthly deaths per 100,000 people per State, on average (a 1.1% increase) - or 40 more monthly deaths in total nationwide. Results are robust to different model specifications. Our findings show that, similar to drink-driving, it is important to raise awareness about driving when distracted due to financial worries and during periods of economic uncertainty.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153179325&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115891
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115891
M3 - Article
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 326
JO - Social Science & Medicine
JF - Social Science & Medicine
M1 - 115891
ER -