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Do drunk drivers pay their way? A note on optimal penalties for drunk driving
1Department of Economics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
Journal of Health Economics
|June 7, 1993
Summary
Optimal drunk driving penalties should match the risks imposed on others. Current policies are too lenient, suggesting drunk driving levels remain excessively high, necessitating stricter enforcement and penalties.
Area of Science:
- Public health
- Criminology
- Transportation safety
Background:
- Drunk driving remains a significant public safety concern.
- Existing penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) are debated for their effectiveness.
- Quantifying the societal cost of drunk driving is crucial for policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a framework for optimal drunk driving penalties.
- To evaluate current drunk driving policies against this optimal standard.
- To determine if current penalties adequately deter drunk driving.
Main Methods:
- Development of a simple theoretical framework for penalty optimization.
- Review and analysis of available data on drunk driving incidents and penalties.
- Comparison of current policy outcomes with the proposed optimal penalty standard.
Main Results:
- A framework suggests penalties should equal the societal risk imposed by drunk drivers.
- Analysis indicates current penalties are likely too lenient.
- The leniency of current penalties implies elevated levels of drunk driving.
Conclusions:
- Current drunk driving policies may not adequately reflect the societal harm caused.
- Stricter penalties, aligned with the cost of increased risk, are recommended.
- Reducing drunk driving necessitates policy reforms to increase penalty severity.