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More Alcohol and Traffic Laws Mean Fewer Traffic Deaths

“Our findings show the human cost of these differences in state law environments,” says James Macinko, PhD, a professor in the university’s department of nutrition, food studies, and public health and the paper’s senior author.

Their study examined 27 types of laws, which ranged from child restraint laws to beer taxes to mandatory fines for DUI violations, across all 50 states. The researchers chose these laws based on the following criteria: They were aimed at changing individual behaviors concerning alcohol consumption and/or traffic safety, and there was evidence, based on previous research, supporting their effectiveness in improving health outcomes. They then calculated what proportion of these laws was adopted by a state in any year from 1980 to 2010.

Overall, state adoption of these laws grew significantly over time. In 1980, states, on average, had adopted 7.7% of the 27 laws; in 2010, this proportion had jumped to 59%. However, states adopting such laws diverged over time: In 1980, the proportion between high- and low-adopting states differed by 8% but grew to nearly 30% in 2009.


Controlling for other risk factors, such as state socioeconomic levels, unemployment levels, and population density, the researchers found that being in the top quartile of laws passed was associated with 14.5% decrease in the traffic fatality rate compared with being in the bottom quartile. In fact, even being in the second-lowest quartile was associated with 5% decrease in the traffic fatality rate compared with being in the bottom quartile.

“Lagging behind in adopting the full range of the laws is not a theoretical concern; more people are dying as a result,” says Diana Silver, PhD, an assistant professor the department of nutrition, food studies, and public health and one of the study’s coauthors. “Policymakers and advocates should focus attention on states where such protections are the weakest and bring them up to speed.”


— Source: New York University