(Why) do Europeans drive differently? | EIQ Discussion Paper

Evangelos Rasvanis, Andreas Psarras, and Theodore Panagiotidis have co-authored a new paper for the Europe in Question Discussion Paper Series at the European Institute, which investigates the determinants of regional disparities in road traffic accident (RTA) outcomes across European regions.

Abstract

"Using panel data and negative binomial models, it examines socioeconomic, institutional, cultural and behavioural drivers on fatalities and injuries. The results reveal marked regional variation, with Southern Europe exhibiting higher casualty rates. Education, perceptions of road safety, rule of law, informal economy and GDP per capita significantly affect RTA outcomes. Marginal effects confirm that tertiary education substantially reduces both fatalities and injuries. The empirical evidence highlights the importance of locational and institutional factors for designing targeted, region-specific road safety policies."