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

Michael French () and Gulcin Gumus
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Michael French: University of Miami

No 8353, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

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 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H73 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2014-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-tre
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Published - revised version published in: Economic Inquiry , 2015, 53 (1), 745 - 757

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Related works:
Journal Article: FAST TIMES DURING SPRING BREAKS: ARE TRAFFIC FATALITIES ANOTHER CONSEQUENCE? (2015)
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