Stop sign violations: The role of race and ethnicity on fatal crashes

Abstract

Introduction In contrast to age, education, and gender, which have been studied more frequently, the role of race/ethnicity in shaping fatal stop sign running incidents has received relatively little attention. It has been shown that failing to follow traffic laws and regulations is a major cause of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) in Latin America. Does this driving behavior in Latin America correspond to the Hispanic community in the United States? Are Hispanics more likely to be at-fault concerning stop sign crossing than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States? Method We took advantage of a 1990–1996 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) file with additional racial/ethnic information. Our file consisted of drivers who died in a MVC that occurred in an intersection where a stop sign was in place that involved one or more drivers with at least one of them failing to obey the traffic device. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were applied. Results Overall, we found no direct difference between African–American, White, and Hispanic drivers regarding stop sign running. However, we found that race/ethnicity does play an indirect role on this problem through its impact on drinking and driving as well as its interaction with age and gender. Conclusions We found a picture that is much more complex than what the initial hypothesis postulated. Race/ethnicity seems to play a role in shaping fatal stop sign running incidents, but the mechanisms by which such a role is played are complex and not fully understood. Impact on Industry The incidence and cost of fatal stop sign running crashes may be reduced if prevention policies targeting the most vulnerable groups could be developed.