Abstract
We examine the effects of policies aimed at restricting the use of false identification to purchase alcohol on traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired underage drivers. We find that the implementation of policies that incentivize alcohol retailers to adopt ID scanners reduces traffic fatalities from accidents involving 16–18 year old drivers with a BAC >0, but we do not find that similar policies like vertical ID laws lead to statistically significant changes in traffic fatalities involving underage impaired drivers. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that if all remaining states passed ID scanner laws, the reduction in underage alcohol-related fatal accidents would generate over $400 million in annual economic benefits.
Read the full post on Wiley: Health Economics: Table of Contents