SMU SOE Seminar (Nov 8, 2019, 4-5.30pm): When Safety Messages Make us Less Safe: Evidence from Traffic Fatality Messages

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ABSTRACT We provide evidence that displaying roadside fatality counts on highway dynamic message signs (DMSs) result in significant increases in traffic accidents directly downstream of the DMSs. We exploit detailed data on DMS and accident location, DMS log files, and a unique setting in Texas where fatality messages are instructed to occur only during one week each month. We further find that the association between fatality messages and subsequent accidents is increasing in the reported fatality count, suggesting that drivers become nervous and drive less safely when presented with shocking statistics. Click here to view the CV.
		PRESENTER Jonathan Hall University of Toronto
		RESEARCH FIELDS Urban Economics Transportation Economics Applied Microeconomics
		DATE: 8 November 2019 (Friday)
		TIME: 4pm - 5.30pm
		VENUE: Meeting Room 5.1, Level 5 School of Economics Singapore Management University 90 Stamford Road Singapore 178903