Drunk Driving: Leaving the Scene

Strict laws against drunk driving may be causing an unwanted side effect. A new study by Purdue University researchers shows that after Ohio instituted a tough drunk-driving law making it more likely for offenders to be jailed and have their licenses suspended, the number of alcohol-related accidents fell by 20%. But at the same time, the number of hit-and-run incidents caused by intoxicated drivers rose by 8%. "The higher the penalty for drunk driving," says Purdue Economist John Umbeck, a coauthor of the report, "the more there is to gain by leaving the scene."

The study, which analyzed 500,000 accidents in Ohio from January 1982 to June 1983, suggested that motorists facing severe punishment for drunk driving might be strongly inclined to cut out, especially if the penalty for fleeing the accident is scarcely harsher than that for causing it. One possible remedy: stiffen the laws against hit-and-run driving.