Uncertainties in evaluating periodic motor vehicle inspection by death rates

THIS PAPER DEVELOPS AN ANALYSIS FOR OBSERVING THE VARIATIONS IN DEATH RATES WITHIN STATES AS PERIODIC MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION (PMVI) PROGRAMS ARE INTRODUCED AND FOR COMPARING THEM TO VARIATIONS OCCURRING IN CONTROL STATES DURING THE SAME PERIODS. ANALYSES OF DATA SHOW THAT DEATH RATES DECREASE NO MORE IN STATES WHERE PMVI IS BEGUN THAN THEY DO IN THE CONTROL STATES. THIS SUGGESTS THAT DEATH RATE IS AN IMPROPER PARAMETER TO USE IN PROMOTING PMVI. /HSL/