Speeding, Punishment, and Recidivism: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design

Arbeitspapier

This paper estimates the effects of temporary driver's license suspensions on driving behavior. A little known rule in the German traffic penalty catalogue maintains that drivers who commit a series of speeding transgressions within 365 days should have their license suspended for one month. My regression discontinuity design exploits the quasi-random assignment of license suspensions caused by the 365-days cut-off and shows that 1-month license suspensions lower the probability of recidivating within a year by 20 percent. This is largely a specific deterrence effect driven by the punishment itself and not by incapacitation, information asymmetries, or the threat of stiffer future penalties.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 10707

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health Behavior ; Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law ; Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
• Subject: crime ; speeding ; deterrence ; regression discontinuity

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Gehrsitz, Markus
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2017

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/161330
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET