Caution, Drivers! Children Present: Traffic, Pollution, and Infant Health
Atmospheric concentration of local pollutants has fallen drastically since the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA). This paper presents research on whether further reductions will yield additional health benefits. Two specific questions are addressed: (1) what is the impact of automobile driving (congestion in particular) on ambient air pollution levels, and (2) what is the impact of modern air pollution levels on infant health? The setting is California, with a focus on the Central Valley and Southern California, in the years 2002-2007. Using an instrumental variables approach that exploits the relationship between traffic, ambient weather conditions, and various pollutants, findings suggest that ambient pollution levels, specifically particulate matter, still have large impacts on weekly infant mortality rates. Results also illustrate the importance of weather controls in measuring pollution’s impact on infant mortality.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
National Bureau of Economic Research
1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA United States 02138 -
Authors:
- Knittel, Christopher R
- Miller, Douglas L
- Sanders, Nicholas J
- Publication Date: 2011-7
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 45p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air quality; Automobile driving; Environmental impacts; Environmental policy; Health; Health hazards; Infants; Pollutants; Public health; Social factors; Traffic congestion; Weather conditions
- Geographic Terms: California
- Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Society; I15: Environment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01359174
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: Working Paper 17222
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Dec 20 2011 10:37AM