| Abstract: | Offsetting consumer behavior may have reduced the effectiveness of a mandatory seat belt law in reducing fatalities in New Zealand. It appears that the favorable effect on automobile occupants may be offset partially, or in some models perhaps completely, by deaths among cyclists and pedestrians that may be caused by more dangerous driving by drivers who feel safer. Furthermore, the improvement in safety found for occupants is smaller than generally reported in the literature. A caveat is that speed may be endogenous for some models. |
