The interaction between health and transportation policies has been underestimated in the past. Researchers from the RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research have found that higher gasoline and diesel prices in Germany have led to a significant reduction in auto traffic emissions. Now, scientists from the Technical University of Berlin and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research have investigated how higher gasoline and diesel taxes affect human health. The study is based on the knowledge that physical inactivity increases the risk of six of the ten most common causes of death globally. The researchers have determined the ideal taxes based on various factors that trigger additional costs.
The study examined the situation in the United Kingdom and the United States. The researchers found that the ideal taxes, taking into account the health risks of physical inactivity, would have to increase to $12.92 in the United States and $6.31 in the United Kingdom. The study shows for the first time that gasoline and diesel taxes not only affect traffic emissions but also human health. The authors explain that gasoline and diesel taxes only minimally influence the choice to walk or bike. However, adjusted tax rates could consider all the costs associated with car use, including environmental pollution and traffic congestion.
Inge van den Bijgaart from the University of Utrecht explains that the interaction between health and transportation policies has been largely ignored in transportation economics. The study highlights the significant impact that gasoline and diesel taxes can have on human health and the need to consider all the costs associated with car use. The findings suggest that higher taxes on gasoline and diesel could have positive effects on human health and reduce the costs of the healthcare system.
