Mercedes Castro-Nuño

Tourism and GDP: A Meta-analysis of Panel Data Studies

This article provides a meta-analysis of a selected sample of 87 estimates from studies based on panel data techniques published through until 2012. The purpose is to obtain a summary measure of the effects of tourism on economic growth by applying models for both fixed and random effects. The results show a positive elasticity between GDP and tourism, although the magnitude of the effect varies according to the methodological procedure employed in the original studies for empirical estimates. In this sense, when estimates exclude other explanatory variables of economic growth, elasticities are overvalued.

An econometric analysis of the effects of the penalty points system driver's license in Spain

This article seeks to quantify the effects of the penalty points system drivers license during the 18-month period following its coming into force. This is achieved by means of univariate and multivariate unobserved component models set up in a state space framework estimated using maximum likelihood. A detailed intervention analysis is carried out in order to test for the effects and their duration of the introduction of the penalty points system drivers license in Spain. Other variables, mainly indicators of the level of economic activity in Spain, are also considered. Among the main effects, we can mention an average reduction of almost 12.6% in the number of deaths in highway accidents. It would take at least 2 years for that effect to disappear. For the rest of the safety indicator variables (vehicle occupants injured in highway accidents and vehicle occupants injured in accidents built-up areas) the effects disappeared 1 year after the law coming into force.

Can Fear of Going to Jail Reduce the Number of Road Fatalities? The Spanish Experience

The goal of this article is to evaluate the impact of the drastic Spanish Penal Code reform on the number of road deaths in Spain and the time that the effects might last. This is achieved by means of multivariate unobserved component models set up in a state space framework estimated using maximum likelihood. In short, with this reform Spain might be considered to be closing the final gap that kept it apart from other developed countries as far as the road accident rate is concerned. We have found two different types of effects on Spanish road traffic fatalities. Initially, a month before the reform was passed there was a 24.7 percent fall in Spanish road deaths. After the Bill had been passed and for the following thirteen months, thereductionstayed at a constant sixteen percent. This reform has reduced Spanish road fatalities by 534 in all between November 2007 and December 2008 and the effects will foreseeably continue during 2009.

Can health public expenditure reduce the tragic consequences of road traffic accidents? The EU-27 experience

This study uses data for the EU-27 countries in the period 1999–2009 to estimate determinants of road traffic fatality rates. Controlling for country attributes and road safety policy variables, we examine the influence of variables related with the national health systems; the number of hospital beds per square kilometer, and the percentage of health expenditures over gross domestic product. We find evidence that the density of hospital beds contributes to the fall in traffic-related fatalities. Furthermore, the quality of general medical facilities and technology associated with increases in health expenditure may be also a relevant factor in reducing road traffic fatalities.

Could being in the European Union save lives? An econometric analysis of the Common Road Safety Policy for the EU-27

Traffic safety has become a major component of European transport policies. But the road to a real Common European Road Safety Policy has been a long one. The notion of Europeanization might help to describe the European Union (EU)s impact on national policies, although the process differs from other transport sectors. The objective of this article is to explain the effect of the EU road safety policy on domestic road mortality rates in the EU-27. Using data on European countries for the 2000–2009 period we analyse how EU traffic safety policies, institutions and networks facilitate and encourage the learning process in the individual countries. This timeframe coincides with the 2001 White Paper and the third European Road Safety Action Programme (ERSAP), both of which are crucial for constructing the Common Road Safety Policy.

Can cars and trucks coexist peacefully on highways? Analyzing the effectiveness of road safety policies in Europe.

We examine the impact on the traffic accident rate of the interaction between trucks and cars on Europes roads using a panel data set that covers the period 1999-2010. We find that rising motorization rates for trucks lead to higher traffic fatalities, while rising motorization rates for cars do not. Empirically, the model we build predicts the positive impact of stricter speed limit legislation for trucks in the reduction of road fatalities. These findings lend support to European strategies and aimed at promoting alternative modes of freight transport, including rail and maritime transport.

Does pressing a button make it easier to pass an exam? Evaluating the effectiveness of interactive technologies in higher education.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate how audience response system ( ARS) technology may increase improvements in academic performance in higher education, using the first year of the Administration and Business Management degree course at the University of Seville ( Spain) as a case study. The experiment assesses whether the use of ARSs increases the likelihood that students will pass the final examinations in the subject of Principles of Economics. An econometric model is applied to a sample of 119 students in an intervention group, with a control group of 322. The statistically significant results show that at the very least, ARSs improve performance in the theoretical examination, albeit with certain limitations. It is concluded that ARSs should be used frequently to optimize outcomes, not just as a sporadic event during the course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“When Las Vegas takes to the sea: New trends in cruising”

The past decade’s trend toward super-sized cruise ships has enriched the experience for cruise passengers. Unlike a small number of mega cruises that have chosen to press on in a luxury–classic style, the vast majority are rapidly converging on a Las Vegas resorts-style tourism model. Aside from the traditional factor that Las Vegas and cruises have in common, that is, the casino, this article analyzes other aspects of this increasingly mimetic relationship, with the following standing out: the greater importance given to entertainment; the greater variety and quality of Food and Beverage (F&B) and shopping choices; an informal dress code; a complex, dynamic management as to both prices and extracting monopoly rents from passengers; the expansion of both models outside their original locations, Las Vegas and the Caribbean; and, lastly, in response to previous trends, an oligopoly market.

The role of road safety in a sustainable urban mobility: An econometric assessment of the Spanish NUTS-3 case

ABSTRACT There has been a structural change in mobility in major Spanish cities in recent decades, with a switch to the pattern followed in other countries in the area. A shift has taken place from a traditional Mediterranean model to a North American city stereotype, with uncontrolled motorization and major implications for public health. This article specifically analyzes negative road safety-related externalities that result from this process, given that the trend seems to show a steady decline in road safety accidents on urban roads in Spain, with major differences among NUTS-3 provinces. The objective is to evaluate the factors that empirically explain these differences for the 2003–2013 period using a panel data analysis. Results show that a key role is played by urban development variables, such as population density and improvements in health services, with advances linked to more accessible and sustainable urban transportation, such as the Smart City concept. Not only does this article close a gap in the literature, but the findings can also serve as a practical guide for the development and implementation of urban mobility and road safety plans, and reveals the special needs of the most vulnerable groups.

‘I want to ride my bicycle’: delimiting cyclist typologies

ABSTRACT Based around fieldwork in Seville (Spain), our article provides an empirical analysis with the aim of determining whether different typologies of cyclists exist depending on the type of bicycle for urban commuting (public bicycle/private bicycle). Our findings show that users of public bicycles are predominantly male, young, with a high level of education, and basically use the public bicycle for subsistence trips due to its easy intermodality; while private bicycle riders are mainly females who regularly make nonsubsistence trips and prefer a more flexible bicycle for their daily needs.