This paper reports the results of an empirical analysis of the Kuznets curve relationship between per capita income and road fatalities across 63 countries over the period 1963 to 2005. This relationship hypothesizes thatthe number of road fatalities increases with increasing motorization in the early stages of economic growth. Eventually, due to advances in technical, policy and political institutions, it declines as per capita income increases. The quality of political institutions as well as improvements in medical care and technology are hypothesized to impact road fatalities. Results indicate evidence of a Kuznets curve relationship between per capitaincome and road fatalities for both highly developed and less developed countries and support our hypothesis that changes in institutional quality and technical improvements underlay the Kuznets relationship.
Samenvatting