Quantifying the Relationship Between Alcohol Privatization and Alcohol Related Traffic Accidents in Washington State
Open Access
Author:
Reuther, Marissa R
Area of Honors:
Economics
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jadrian James Wooten, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Russell Paul Chuderewicz, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
drunk driving fatal accidents college alcohol fixed effects negative binomial
Abstract:
This paper studies the relationship between the privatization of alcohol and alcohol related fatal traffic accidents for Washington counties with a large proportion of college aged individuals. In 2011, Washington voters passed Initiative 1183, which transferred wholesale and retail control of alcohol from the state to private citizens, resulting in an increase in the availability of alcohol for purchasers. This paper uses crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and fixed effects negative binomial regression models to analyze a potential relationship between increased alcohol availability and alcohol related fatal traffic accidents. Specifically, Washington counties with a large proportion of college aged individuals (‘college counties’) are compared to all other counties in order to determine if Initiative 1183 has skewed effects for college counties. This paper finds that Initiative 1183 does not correspond to a change in alcohol related fatal traffic accidents across Washington. However, for college counties, Initiative 1183 corresponds to a decrease in non-alcohol related fatal traffic accidents and total fatal traffic accidents, but corresponds to no effect for alcohol related fatal traffic accidents. Among the control variables, the unemployment rate and median age both correspond to a decrease in alcohol related fatal traffic accidents which for college counties are significantly different than the average county.