Spring break is a nearly century-old tradition in the US, inspiring so much debauchery among America’s youth that researchers have long found the mass holiday – spoiler alert – to be a risk factor for increased binge drinking, risky sex and drug use.

Now, researchers at – where else? – the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University have found that spring break could also lead to a higher number of traffic fatalities in the country’s top holiday destinations such as Florida, California and Arizona.

And, no, don’t blame the booze.

When comparing the usual spring break timeframe – the last week of February through the first week in April – against other times of year, there are significantly more vehicle accidents leading to death, according to a study published this year in the journal Economic Inquiry.

Michael French, a health economist and professor at the University of Miami, said he noticed a pattern of more risky driving near his school around the season of university beach debauchery.

“You see a lot of cars that are either turning late into roads, or going slow trying to find their way around unfamiliar territory,” he said. “I look in windows and see a lot people texting.”

So, he and Florida Atlantic University assistant professor Gulcin Gumus decided to test their observation by looking at Fatality Analysis Reporting System data from 1982 to 2011. They found that passenger vehicle fatalities are significantly overrepresented during the questionable period in question.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that alcohol intoxication did not have an effect on the fatality rates. The data was instead largely represented by out-of-state drivers under 25, indicating a problem with inexperienced drivers in an unfamiliar environment.

“They are still distracted, perhaps tired, and fatigued for all the activities that go on during the week,” French said.

The researchers looked at 14 counties with popular spring-break destinations – including Daytona Beach and Myrtle Beach – as well as the seven states surrounding them: Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

French said one potential solution to curb lethal distracted drivers during the spring could be for city agencies and travel companies to provide vouchers for taxis, public transportation and ride-sharing in vacation packages at the destinations.

Because of the study’s results, French said that he and Gumus plan to look at the same regions to see how many pedestrian deaths occur during spring-break season.

Despite all the risks associated with the uniquely American tradition, it is unlikely that cities will block co-eds from pouring into their sandy beaches and seedy hotels anytime soon.

“They get incredible tourist dollars,” French said. “It’s tough to turn your back on that.”