US lung association says a switch to EVs benefits children

CHICAGO: The transport sector's transition to all-electric power could considerably improve children's health, in particular by reducing the risk of asthma attacks, according to a recent study conducted in the United States.

According to the American Lung Association, nearly 2.8 million pediatric asthma attacks could be avoided and many infant deaths prevented in the US by 2050.

Reducing air pollution is obviously the first visible consequence of this energy transition, which has the positive knock-on effect of significantly improving children's respiratory health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

This could help to eliminate several million cases of upper respiratory symptoms (wet cough, runny nose, burning eyes) and lower respiratory symptoms (coughing, wheezing or chest pain).

In addition, 147,000 cases of acute bronchitis and 508 cases of infant mortality could be avoided.

There are other positive effects too, such as a reduction in noise, which can not only disturb children's sleep but also hinder their cognitive development.

Finally, electric cars are equipped with advanced safety technologies designed to reduce the risk of road accidents, a major cause of death among children. By choosing an electric car, parents can help protect both the environment and their children's health.

To conduct its study, the Chicago-based association used an optimistic model based on a transition to 100% sales of new zero-emission vehicles by 2035 for private cars, and by 2040 for commercial vehicles and trucks. It also assumes a totally clean electricity grid by 2035.