Did liberalising bar hours decrease traffic accidents?

Colin Green (), John Heywood and María Navarro Paniagua ()

Journal of Health Economics, 2014, vol. 35, issue C, 189-198

Abstract: Legal bar closing times in England and Wales have historically been early and uniform. Recent legislation liberalised closing times with the object of reducing social problems thought associated with drinking to “beat the clock.” Indeed, using both difference in difference and synthetic control approaches we show that one consequence of this liberalisation was a decrease in traffic accidents. This decrease is heavily concentrated among younger drivers. Moreover, we provide evidence that the effect was most pronounced in the hours of the week directly affected by the liberalisation: late nights and early mornings on weekends. This evidence survives a series of robustness checks and suggests at least one socially positive consequence of extending bar hours.

Keywords: Alcohol; Bar hours; Regulation; Traffic accidents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 K20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (45)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:35:y:2014:i:c:p:189-198

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.03.007

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