Reducing traffic fatalities in the American States by upgrading seat belt use laws to primary enforcement

Bibliographic Data

ID11680390
AuthorsDavid J Houston (0000-0001-5001-0301, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, corresponding author), Lilliard E Richardson (0000-0003-2716-3101, University of Missouri), JR LILLIARD E RICHARDSON
Year2006
Volume25
Issue3
Pages645-659
Publication date2006-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Policy Analysis and Management (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0276-8739 • E-ISSN: 1520-6688
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/pam.20195
OpenAlexW2082854941
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited39

A key component of crime deterrence is the certainty of detection, but in 2005 seat belt laws in 27 states prohibited law enforcement officers from ticketing an observed violation unless the driver is stopped for another offense, which is referred to as secondary enforcement. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have upgraded from secondary to primary enforcement, which authorizes police to stop a motor vehicle if a driver or occupant covered by the law is observed not using a seat belt. To test the impact of seat belt enforcement provisions, cross-sectional time series regressions are estimated for annual driver and occupant fatality rates in the American states from 1990 to 2002. Using several control variables for other traffic policies and state demographics, the results indicate primary enforcement is more effective in saving lives than secondary enforcement. Furthermore, upgrading to a primary law enhances the effectiveness of an existing state mandatory use law. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Business · Demographics · Deterrence theory · Enforcement · Law enforcement · Political science · Seat belt · State (computer science · Computer Science · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Engineering · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Traffic and Road Safety