Cannabis policy bundles and traffic fatalities in the American States over time.

Background And Aim: Since 1996, 38 US states have legalized access to cannabis (medical and/or adult-use recreational). We aimed to estimate the effect of three dimensions of state cannabis policy design - pharmaceutical, permissive and fiscal - on levels of overall, alcohol-impaired, occupant, light truck and pedestrian fatality rates.

Design And Setting: Observational study of US states' overall, alcohol-impaired, occupant, light truck and pedestrian fatalities between 1994 and 2020.

Marijuana Policy Bundles in the American States Over Time and Their Impact on the Use of Marijuana and Other Drugs.

American states have used different approaches in adoption of cannabis policies and continue to modify those policies after approval. States also differ in how long it takes to implement such policies, and this influences the availability of legal marijuana. Such policy differences and implementation timelines could influence usage of marijuana and other illicit drugs by adolescents, young adults, and older adults.

The effect of state regulations on truck-crash fatalities.

To improve traffic safety, states limit truck length and weight, and some set lower speed limits for trucks than for other vehicles. We examined the impact of truck-specific restrictions and general traffic-safety policies on fatality rates from crashes involving large trucks. We used state-level data from 1991 to 2005 with a cross-sectional time-series model that controlled for several policy measures.

Motorcyclist fatality rates and mandatory helmet-use laws.

Using cross-sectional time series data for the 50 states and Washington, DC, covering the period 1975-2004, we estimate fixed effects regression models that examine the effects of universal and partial helmet laws on three different motorcyclist fatality rates, while controlling for other state policies and characteristics. Depending on the particular measure that is employed, states with universal helmet laws have motorcyclist fatality rates that are on average 22-33% lower in comparison to the experience with no helmet law. Additionally, partial coverage helmet laws are associated with reductions in motorcyclist fatality rates of 7-10%, on average.

Motorcycle safety and the repeal of universal helmet laws.

Objectives: We assessed the implications for motorcyclist safety of recent repeals of universal helmet laws in 6 US states.

Methods: We examined cross-sectional time-series data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia for the period 1975 through 2004.

Results: On average, when compared to state experience with no helmet mandate, universal helmet laws were associated with an 11.

Measuring the propensity to drink and drive.

Laws such as .08 blood alcohol content, open container, and license revocation provide a policy framework for reducing drinking and driving. Drinking and driving behavior is difficult to assess; unlike property and violent crimes, where incidence statistics can approximate behavior, most drink-driving trips go undetected.

Safety belt use and the switch to primary enforcement, 1991-2003.

State seat belt laws have increased use rates and have reduced traffic fatalities, but tremendous variation exists in the laws. New Hampshire does not have a law, and 30 states have only secondary enforcement laws. Whereas primary enforcement allows an officer to issue a citation for any infraction, secondary enforcement permits a citation only if a motorist is stopped for another infraction first.

Getting Americans to buckle up: the efficacy of state seat belt laws.

Annual state observed safety belt use rates over the period 1991-2001 are examined using time-series cross-section regression analysis. It was found that seat belt laws are associated with higher use rates and that the enforcement provision matters. Primary states experience belt use rates that on average are 9.

Traffic safety and the switch to a primary seat belt law: the California experience.

This study explores whether the change of an existing seat belt law from secondary to primary enforcement enhances traffic safety. In particular, we examine traffic fatalities and injuries in California from 1988 to 1997. During the first half of this period, California law provided for secondary enforcement of its mandatory seat belt law, but in 1993 it upgraded the law to primary enforcement.