Assessing the Impact of Vehicle Weight on Road Safety: A Comprehensive Study for the California Transportation Commission

Research Team: Julia Griswold (lead), Federico E. Vaca, David Brownstone, Ipsita Banerjee, Matthew Raifman, Michael L. Anderson, Jiawei Chen, John Harvey, Celia Johnson, and Jon Atkins

UC Campus(es): UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine

Problem Statement: Assembly Bill (AB) 251 (Ward, 2023) went into effect on January 1, 2024. This bill directs the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to convene a task force to study the relationship between vehicle weight and road user injuries and fatalities (and other related topics) and prepare a report summarizing findings and recommendations, to be submitted to the State Legislature by January 1, 2026.

Project Description: To inform the work of the CTC as it relates to SB 251, this project will produce a Vehicle Weight Safety Study Academic Report summarizing trends of road user injuries and fatalities in California and potential factors contributing to these trends; documentation of policy solutions to address California road user injuries and fatalities; a discussion of how a passenger vehicle weight fee might change consumer behavior; and an analysis of the relationship between passenger vehicle weight and degradation of road infrastructure.

Status: In Progress

Budget: $500,000