Driving while hungry: The effect of fasting on traffic accidents

Ahmet Gulek

Journal of Development Economics, 2024, vol. 168, issue C

Abstract: I study the impact of hunger on traffic accidents by exploiting the fasting that is religiously mandated during the month of Ramadan. Identification comes from working hours not being adjusted during Ramadan in Turkey. I find that driving while fasting at rush hour is associated with a significant increase in road traffic accidents. Using existing survey evidence on fasting rates in Turkey, I conclude that hunger induced by fasting increases the probability of an accident by 25%, which is smaller than the effect of driving while intoxicated, but larger than the effect of mild sleep deprivation.

Keywords: Hunger; Traffic accidents; Fasting; Ramadan; Religion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 R41 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:168:y:2024:i:c:s0304387824000099

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103260

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