LEBEC, Calif. -- A new study shows the air along the Grapevine is dangerous to breathe and people who live there are worried about it. The study was done by TriCounty Watchdogs and Global Community Monitor. They studied the air along Interstate 5 between Fort Tejon and the Frazier Park exit for a year.

The entrance to the El Tejon School says it’s a tobacco-free campus, but environmental watchdogs say some of the stuff the students are breathing from nearby I-5 is just as bad.

"It was comparable to secondhand smoke on children's lungs," said Linda MacKay of TriCounty Watchdogs.

The study of the air along the Grapevine ran from March 2011 to March 2012

"The data on ozone showed that our air was actually as bad or worse than parts of Bakersfield," MacKay said.

She said on the worst days that they took air samples the air was actually deadly.

"People that were exposed those days that we took those samples would actually be at risk of cardiovascular death, 2-3 days after the exposure," MacKay said.

Up the road at the Flying J truck stop, Mackay said tractor-trailers belch exhaust all night long.

"Sometimes 200 to 300 trucks are parked there at night. Many of them are idling overnight to keep their cabs either warm in the winter time, or cool in the summertime"

There is a state law that forbids truckers from idling their trucks more than 5 minutes, but with no resources to enforce the law, MacKay said few truckers follow it.

"Caltrans data tells us that there are over 70,000 vehicles going through the Grapevine on I-5 and 18,000 a day of those are diesel trucks," she said

So what's the solution to the problem?

Mackay said it could be as simple as planting trees along the interstate.

"There are studies that show that trees as a barrier can reduce the impact of the emissions by up to 30 percent," MacKay said.

People who live in the area are worried about the results.

"I work all the way down in L.A. and one of the reasons I live here and drive all that way is for air quality. So, if my kids are breathing dangerous air, that’s something, I am definitely concerned about."

Among the other recommendations made by the group was putting in an electrical system at the truck stop so truckers can shut off their engines and use electricity while they are parked overnight.

The full report can be downloaded at: EXHAUST-ed!