{"title":"Pollution and fatal traffic accidents in California counties","authors":"Mark Braun, Sofia B. Villas-Boas","doi":"10.1002/aepp.13396","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>We estimate pollution's causal effect on fatal traffic accidents using instrumental variables. Using variation in fine particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) because of air temperature inversions and eastward wind, we find that of PM<sub>2.5</sub> positively affects fatal traffic accidents. Fatalities increase on average by 1.3% when PM<sub>2.5</sub> increases by 1 <math>\n <mrow>\n <mi>μ</mi>\n </mrow></math> g/m<sup>3</sup>. This increase corresponds to 67 more yearly fatalities in California on average. The positive effects we estimate are consistent with mechanisms such as cognitive function due to pollution inhalation. Heterogeneity analysis finds that this mechanism is worsened for non-rural and for lower-income counties while it is mitigated by driver risk aversion during poor air quality days.</p>","PeriodicalId":8004,"journal":{"name":"Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aepp.13396","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS & POLICY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We estimate pollution's causal effect on fatal traffic accidents using instrumental variables. Using variation in fine particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less (PM2.5) because of air temperature inversions and eastward wind, we find that of PM2.5 positively affects fatal traffic accidents. Fatalities increase on average by 1.3% when PM2.5 increases by 1 g/m3. This increase corresponds to 67 more yearly fatalities in California on average. The positive effects we estimate are consistent with mechanisms such as cognitive function due to pollution inhalation. Heterogeneity analysis finds that this mechanism is worsened for non-rural and for lower-income counties while it is mitigated by driver risk aversion during poor air quality days.
期刊介绍：
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy provides a forum to address contemporary and emerging policy issues within an economic framework that informs the decision-making and policy-making community.
AEPP welcomes submissions related to the economics of public policy themes associated with agriculture; animal, plant, and human health; energy; environment; food and consumer behavior; international development; natural hazards; natural resources; population and migration; and regional and rural development.
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