Wheeling into school and out of crime: Evidence from linking driving licenses to minimum academic requirements

“No Pass No Drive” (NPND) laws revoke or deny driver’s licenses to minors who drop out of school, are frequent truants, exhibit behavioral issues, or perform poorly academically. By analyzing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrest data and leveraging state, time, and cohort variations, the researchers find that NPND laws are linked to a significant reduction in total crime, DUI, and property crimes among males aged 16 to 18, as well as a decline in DUIs among females in the same age group. The study suggest that NPND laws present a cost-effective policy alternative to compulsory attendance laws, promoting education and generating positive externalities. Additionally, using micro data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), the researchers discover that NPND laws reduce risky behaviors in schools, although they may unintentionally increase certain in-school risky activities when accompanied by strict academic or behavioral requirements.