This [2012] paper exploits the dramatic increase in tickets during the Click-it-or-Ticket campaign to identify the causal impact of tickets on accidents using data from Massachusetts. I find that tickets significantly reduce accidents and non-fatal injuries. However, there is limited evidence that tickets lead to fewer fatalities. I provide suggestive evidence that tickets have a larger impact at night and on female drivers.
That is from the abstract of Dara N. Lee's paper.
Fascinating, especially because of the implications for most developing countries where speed limits are generally not enforced.
Unfortunately I don't know what should be done to decrease the number of traffic tickets in big cities...
ReplyDeleteEven if tickets can reduce accidents I think we should try to find a better alternative or harder punishment for impaired or speeding drivers...
for example the number of traffic tickets Toronto decreased at the beginning of this year after police got out on the streets...they were everywhere and that constrained drivers to be more careful.