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Uber and traffic safety: Evidence from Brazilian cities

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  • Barreto, Yuri
  • Silveira Neto, Raul da Mota
  • Carazza, Luis

Abstract

In this paper we estimate the causal effect of the introduction of Uber, an app designed to provide urban transportation services, on traffic-related fatalities and hospitalizations in Brazilian cities. Exploiting the staggered rollout of the company across cities, our research applies a difference-in-differences design and an event study specification using quarterly panel data from 2011 to 2016. Our results indicate that Uber’s introduction reduced by roughly 10% and 17%, respectively, traffic fatality and hospitalization rates in Brazilian cities. The results are robust to different specifications and falsification tests, and to the best of our knowledge, are the first estimates of this effect in a developing country.

Suggested Citation

  • Barreto, Yuri & Silveira Neto, Raul da Mota & Carazza, Luis, 2021. "Uber and traffic safety: Evidence from Brazilian cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:123:y:2021:i:c:s0094119021000292
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2021.103347
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    Cited by:

    1. Cloud, Cannon & Heß, Simon & Kasinger, Johannes, 2023. "Shared e-scooter services and road safety: Evidence from six European countries," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Urban traffic fatalities; Difference-in-differences; Uber;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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