This paper on the value of a statistical life (VSL) has been prepared for the Handbook in Transport Economics, edited by André de Palma, Robin Lindsey, Emile Quinet and Roger Vickerman. The paper's first objective is to survey some classical theoretical and empirical findings in the VSL...

This study analyzes stated willingness to pay (WTP) for traffic safety, the use of traffic safety equipments, and the consistency between the two. Using data from a Swedish contingent valuation study we find that the estimated value of a statistical life (VSL) based on the respondents'...

As the use of cost-effectiveness analysis with quality adjusted life years (QALY) as the outcome measure grows in policy use, a major unresolved issue is that of the monetary value to place on a QALY. This paper addresses this issue by estimating and discussing willingness to pay (WTP) estimates...

Aims: This paper briefly reviews the theoretical and empirical foundation for the economic valuation of preventing fatalities, referred to as the value of a statistical life (VSL), and summarizes recent published empirical evidence on VSL in Sweden. <P> Methods: Literature searches were conducted...</p>

Recent focus on cost-benefit/socio-economic assessment of government “life-saving” programmes within public health, pharmaceutics, transport, and civil contingencies has spurred a wave of empirical research on the value of a statistical life (VSL) in Sweden. This paper provides an overview...

We analyze data of a Spanish nationally-representative survey where subjects reported their Willingness To Pay (WTP) for road safety improvements; specifically they hypothetically paid for a reduction of the risk of a road fatality and several injuries. Respondents also reported their current...

This study uses the contingent valuation method to elicit individuals' preferences for their own and others' safety in road-traffic. Whereas one group is asked about a private safety device for themselves, other groups are asked about safety devices for their children, household, relatives and...

The level of safety investments can be argued to vary between sectors. The safety investments legally required and carried out within the railway sector indicate that there is a higher implicit value in preventing a fatality within the rail sector than within the road sector. The literature...

In this study we report an attempt to measure the value adult Swedes impute to an increased survival probability at high ages. A rating scale between the worst possible quality of life (=1) and the best possible quality of life (=10) is used to indicate the quality of life a person expects to...

To elicit an affected population's preferences for, e.g., better health or environment stated preference (SP) methods are often used. SP methods are based on hypothetical market settings which necessitates validity tests of the results. This study describes a validity test on the basis of...