New Estimates of the Value of a Statistical Life Using Air Bag Regulations as a Quasi-Experiment
Loading...
Authors
Rohlfs, Chris
Sullivan, Ryan
Kniesner, Thomas J.
Subjects
value of statistical life
VSL
airbags
regression discontinuity design
quasi-experiment
VSL
airbags
regression discontinuity design
quasi-experiment
Advisors
Date of Issue
2012-11
Date
Publisher
Language
Abstract
Due to Federal regulations, automobile air bag availability was a model-specific
discontinuous function of model year for used vehicles in the 1990s and early 2000s. We use
these discontinuities and the gradual increase in the supply of air bags to trace out the
demand curve for air bags and the implied distribution of the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL)
across consumers. While imprecise, our preferred point estimates indicate that the median
VSL is between $7 million and $13 million, but that a sizable portion of consumers placed negative values on air bags, probably due to distrust of the technology.
Type
Working Paper
Description
SSRN-id2177132
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Discussion Paper No. 6994
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.