title: Alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crash risk and the location of alcohol purchase.
abstract: Motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol impairment are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the U.S. In this study, we examine how the probability of driving after a binge-drinking episode varies with the location of consumption and type of alcohol consumed. We also investigate the relationship between the location of alcohol purchase and the number of alcohol-impaired fatal motor vehicle crashes. Using multiple datasets that are representative of the U.S. between 2003 and 2009, we find that binge-drinkers are significantly more likely to drive after consuming alcohol at establishments that sell alcohol for on-premises consumption, e.g., from bars or restaurants, particularly after drinking beer. Further, per capita sales of alcohol for off-premises consumption are unrelated to the rate of alcohol-impaired fatal motor vehicle crashes. When disaggregating alcohol types, per capita sales of beer for off-premises consumption are negatively associated with the rate of alcohol-impaired fatal motor vehicle crashes. In contrast, total per capita sales of alcohol from all establishments (on- and off-premises) are positively related to the rate of alcohol-impaired fatal motor vehicle crashes and the magnitude of this relationship is strongest for beer sales. Thus, policies that shift consumption away from bars and restaurants could lead to a decline in the number of motor vehicle crashes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA; Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA; Department of Economics, College of Business, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Economics, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Electronic address: tefft@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tefft
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012147:Restaurants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Alcohol drinking; Economics; Motor vehicles; Taxes; United States