Can our large cars make us bad drivers? Analysis of complete national records of vehicle weight and its association with risky driving behavior
(R2024-122549)

AUTHORS

Stav Rosenzweig, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Aviv Steren, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Ofir Rubin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

ABSTRACT

There is a clear trend of consumers’ preference for larger, heavier vehicles, fueling an “arms race”. While these vehicles better protect consumers in the event of a car crash, theory suggests that consumers’ perceived increased safety will lead to risky behavior. Using complete national car fleet data and police-issued speeding tickets over a calendar year, we examined the association between vehicle mass and risky behavior in terms of speeding tickets. Controlling for consumers’ choice of car, we find a positive association between vehicle mass and speeding tickets. The findings replicate for deviation, safety, and traffic signal violations.