Vehicle Emissions Cause Thousands of Deaths and Asthma Cases in US, Study Finds
A new report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) reveals that vehicle emissions cause about five deaths every hour in the United States. In 2024 alone, over 41,800 premature deaths and more than 23,100 new asthma cases in children are attributed to pollution from road transport fuel production and consumption. Dr. Lilach Israeli Shani, head of obstructive lung diseases at Meir Medical Center, explains that tiny particles and gases from vehicles penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation and damage that increase risks for respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD, as well as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and early mortality.
The US leads globally in new childhood asthma cases linked to vehicle pollution, with one in ten new cases worldwide in 2024 attributed to traffic emissions in American children. Dr. Israeli Shani highlights that children are especially vulnerable due to developing lungs, immature defense mechanisms, and higher outdoor exposure. Other sensitive groups include pregnant women, the elderly, and people with preexisting heart or lung conditions. The ICCT researchers quantified emissions using sensor data and estimated health impacts through established methods.
ICCT senior researcher Lingzi Jin emphasized the urgent need for public health authorities to address vehicle pollution's role in chronic diseases. The report suggests that transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) could significantly reduce pollution-related deaths and illnesses. If all new US cars, trucks, and buses sold by 2040 were zero-emission EVs, more than 100,000 premature deaths and 42,000 childhood asthma cases could be prevented by 2050 compared to current trends. Medium and heavy-duty vehicles are the largest pollution sources despite being a smaller portion of road traffic.
Dr. Israeli Shani advises minimizing strenuous outdoor activity near major roads on high pollution days and using air conditioning with closed windows while driving. She stresses the importance of consistent asthma management to reduce pollution effects. However, the report notes that US environmental policies under the Trump administration have rolled back clean vehicle initiatives, potentially worsening air quality. Nearly half of Americans currently breathe air with dangerous pollutant levels, according to the American Lung Association.
Additionally, new research presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference links air pollution exposure to epigenetic changes in sperm DNA, which may affect male fertility. While causality is not confirmed, these findings provide a biological mechanism for previously observed fertility declines related to pollution, underscoring the need for further study on reproductive health impacts.
