Does Granting Driving Privileges to Undocumented Immigrants Affect Fatal Hit-and-Runs?

Abstract We examine the potential impact of expanding driving privileges to undocumented immigrants on fatal hit-and-run accidents. Since the early 1990s, nearly 20 states have enacted such legislation, and more states are considering doing so. Driver’s licenses are legally required and often a prerequisite for legally mandated car insurance. By expanding driving privileges to undocumented immigrants, these states may have lowered these drivers’ propensity to flee from a serious accident scene for fear of being caught without a license and insurance, which could result in a criminal conviction as well as deportation. Using data from all fatal accidents in the United States over the past 20 years, we document that the policy appears to have lowered the hit-and-run share of fatal accidents in states with larger populations of likely undocumented immigrants. The findings, which prove robust to numerous specification, identification, and falsification checks, support the notion that extending driving privileges to undocumented immigrants can improve public safety.