The relationship of beer consumption and state alcohol and motor vehicle policies to fatal accidents

Fatal accident data from 50 states and the District of Columbia were examined in order to determine the relationship between alcohol availability and fatal motor vehicle accidents. This relationship was analyzed for both fatal accidents and motor vehicle fatalities (potentially more than one per accident) using multiple regression. The independent variables were: (1) driving age (percent of drivers under 21); (2) beverage purchase age; (3) average beer consumption; (4) number of outlets per million population selling alcohol for on-premise consumption; (5) percentage of metropolitan residents; (6) percentage of male drivers; and (7) mileage per driver per year. It was found that the regression analyses for fatal accidents and for fatalities were highly similar. Driving age was the strongest predictor of highway mortality. On-premise availability of alcohol was significantly and inversely associated with motor vehicle fatalities. This suggests that when on-premise outlets are fewer and more geographically spread out, the chances of drinking and driving are greater. Finally, average beer consumption was significantly and positively associated with highway fatalities perhaps because many drivers consider it a “soft” alcoholic beverage that will not impair their ability to drive.