A recent study that was brought before the California Air Resources Board on Thursday found that with a greater exposure to vehicle air pollution incidents of childhood asthma increased by as much as 30 percent.

While a link between car pollution and asthma is nothing new, what is new with the findings of this study is that traffic pollution not only aggravates pre-existing asthma conditions but it can actually create them.

The study took eight years to complete and followed 217 asthma-free children from various parts of Southern California. By comparing the results of monitors that researchers kept in the children’s homes they were able to identify relative levels of pollution in each child’s home environment.

The specific result was that higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (a component of smog) in the air, definitely increases chances of getting asthma in childhood.

Did we need another reason to reduce our reliance on gas-powered vehicles? Well, whether we did or not, we just got one.