US — A 2024 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation estimated that 41,800 premature deaths occurred in the U.S. during 2024 due to road pollution. The organization projected that a full transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2040 could prevent over 100,000 premature deaths by 2050.

The research group found that roughly five Americans die every hour from exposure to toxic road vehicle pollution. The U.S. has more new pediatric asthma cases annually attributed to vehicle pollution than any other country; in 2024, American children accounted for one in ten new global pediatric asthma cases linked to vehicle pollution.

The non-profit research group conducted an analysis that quantified emissions from the production and consumption of fuel for motor vehicles. This analysis utilized measurements collected by sensors through a partnership with the Fia Foundation, which is based in the United Kingdom. The health impacts of pollution were calculated using established scholarly methods.

Lingzhi Jin, a senior researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation, said, "At a time when many Americans are concerned about the impact of environmental toxins on their families' health, public health authorities can't afford to overlook the impact of vehicle pollution on mortality and respiratory health outcomes." Paul Jones III, a transportation planner at the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, said, "Transportation emissions have real, everyday impacts on the health and safety of communities we live in and represent." The New York City Environmental Justice Alliance is a network composed of grassroots community-based groups.

The study's authors indicated that accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles could reduce harmful health effects. The American Lung Association found that nearly half of Americans breathe dangerous levels of airborne emissions, a share that increased compared to the previous year.

Why It Matters

This study details the estimated health consequences associated with vehicle emissions in the United States, including thousands of premature deaths annually and a substantial number of new pediatric asthma cases. The projections suggest that widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles could reduce these health impacts. These findings provide data points concerning the health effects of current transportation systems and potential future benefits of transitioning away from fossil fuel vehicles.