The Cost of Convenience: Ridehailing and Traffic Fatalities

60 Pages Posted: 2 Apr 2019 Last revised: 30 Jun 2019

See all articles by John Manuel Barrios

John Manuel Barrios

Washington University in St. Louis - John M. Olin Business School; National Bureau of Economic Research

Yael V. Hochberg

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

Hanyi (Livia) Yi

Boston College - Carroll School of Management

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Date Written: April 3, 2019

Abstract

We examine the effect of the introduction of ridehailing in U.S. cities on fatal traffic accidents. The arrival of ridehailing is associated with an increase of approximately 3% in the number of fatalities and fatal accidents, for both vehicle occupants and pedestrians. Consistent with ridehailing increasing congestion and road usage, we find that introduction is associated with an increase in arterial vehicle miles traveled, excess gas consumption, and annual hours of delay in traffic, as well as new car registrations. These effects persist over time. Back-of-the-envelope estimates of the annual cost in human lives range from $5.33B to $13.24B.

JEL Classification: I00, O03, R04

Suggested Citation

Barrios, John Manuel and Hochberg, Yael V. and Yi, Hanyi, The Cost of Convenience: Ridehailing and Traffic Fatalities (April 3, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3361227 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3361227

John Manuel Barrios (Contact Author)

Washington University in St. Louis - John M. Olin Business School ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research ( email )

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Yael V. Hochberg

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
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Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business ( email )

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P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77005-1892
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Hanyi Yi

Boston College - Carroll School of Management ( email )

140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
United States

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