working paper

On the Costs of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles

Publication Date

December 31, 1994

Abstract

Air pollution is frequently the stated reason for special measures aimed at controlling motor vehicles. In the United States, motor vehicle emission standards are set explicitly in clean air legislation, while policies at several levels of government are designed to reduce the use of cars for particular purposes like commuting. In Europe, high fuel taxes and subsidies to urban mass transit and intercity rail travel in large part aim to reduce car use.