Traffic Congestion and Infant Health: Evidence from E-ZPass
Evidence of the significant negative health externalities of traffic congestion are provided in this paper. The authors studied the effect of E-ZPass, and thus sharp reductions in local traffic congestion and emissions, on the health of infants. Specifically, infants born to mothers living near toll plazas were compared to infants born to mothers living near busy roadways but away from toll plazas. Differences in the health of infants born to the same mother, but who differ in terms of whether or not they were “exposed” to E-ZPass were also examined. It was found that reductions in traffic congestion generated by E-ZPass reduced the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight among mothers within 2km of a toll plaza by 10.8% and 11.8% respectively. Estimates from mother fixed effects models were very similar. The results suggest that traffic congestion is a significant contributor to poor health in affected infants. Estimates of the costs of traffic congestion should account for these important health externalities.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
National Bureau of Economic Research
1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA United States 02138 -
Authors:
- Currie, Janet
- Walker, Reed
- Publication Date: 2009-10
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 36p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air pollution; Automated toll collection; Environmental impacts; Externalities; Fetus; Health; Health hazards; Infants; Pollutants; Pregnant women; Public health; Socioeconomic factors; Toll plazas; Traffic congestion
- Geographic Terms: New Jersey; Pennsylvania
- Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Highways; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01359171
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: Working Paper 15413
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Dec 20 2011 10:37AM