Fast Times During Spring Breaks: Are Traffic Fatalities Another Consequence?

32 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2014

See all articles by Michael T. French

Michael T. French

University of Miami - Health Management and Policy

Gulcin Gumus

Florida International University (FIU); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

Every year in the United States, millions of college students travel for spring break, spending billions of dollars. We examine a potential adverse consequence of spring break that has received little attention in the literature – traffic safety. In particular, we estimate the impact of spring break season on fatal passenger vehicle crashes. Using daily county-level longitudinal data on traffic fatalities in popular spring break destinations from 1982-2011, we conduct separate analyses by age groups, license status, and alcohol involvement in the crash. Our findings indicate that passenger vehicle fatalities are significantly overrepresented during the spring break season.

Keywords: spring break, college students, traffic fatalities, externalities

JEL Classification: I12, I18, H73

Suggested Citation

French, Michael T. and Gumus, Gulcin, Fast Times During Spring Breaks: Are Traffic Fatalities Another Consequence?. IZA Discussion Paper No. 8353, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2475321 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2475321

Michael T. French (Contact Author)

University of Miami - Health Management and Policy ( email )

United States
305-284-6039 (Phone)

Gulcin Gumus

Florida International University (FIU) ( email )

University Park
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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