Smoking bans push up drink-driving fatalities

According to researchers in the United States the number of fatal accidents from drink-driving has escalated because of smoking bans in bars.

The researchers from the Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee say as a result of government smoking bans there has been on average, almost a 12 percent rise in the number of drink-related driving accidents.

The researchers suggest this has happened because smokers are driving longer distances to areas where smoking in bars is allowed or where there is an outdoor seating area for smoking or where smoking bans are not complied with.

They say while smokers may not be drinking more than before, they are driving more and this increases the risk of an accident.

Researchers Scott Adams and Chad Cotti say the increased distance driven by drivers wishing to smoke and drink, offsets any reduction in driving from smokers opting to stay home following a ban.

This they say results in increased alcohol-related accidents.

Their research is based on data from 2000 to 2005 from areas in the States where smoking bans were imposed and from accident statistics before and after the bans were enforced.

The research is published in the current edition of the Journal of Public Economics.