How High Gas Prices Are Making Us Safer. Seriously.

Gas prices, thanks to the Global War on Terror and Hurricane Katrina, are now the highest in the nation's history. Gas easily tops $3 per gallon in San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and other cities across the nation, making driving an expensive way to get around. For reference, gas prices have increased roughly 100% since 9/11.

What's the upside? That ridiculously expensive petroleum is prompting people to drive more slowly on highways, drive less often, buy more fuel-efficient cars, and take mass transit more often. A recent Congressional Budget Office report found that based on statistics from 2003 to 2006, a theoretical 15-year, 10% increase in gas prices would reduce consumption by 4% as consumers replaced their gas-guzzlers with more fuel-efficient cars.

And I do mean cars. Sales of light-trucks dropped 10% beginning in 2003, when the Iraq invasion made gas prices spike. Sales of compacts and mid-size vehicles, on the other hand, have been on the rise: the combination of more compacts and fewer SUVs means the average vehicle on the road today has a higher fuel-efficiency than three years ago.

Although the CBO report did not list the amount of CO2 saved by having fewer trucks on the road, it did say that a 20% rise in gasoline prices created a 2% increase in mass transit ridership and took 730 vehicles (per weekday) off the freeways. A bonus: the drivers on the roads drove more slowly.

Now, this may be a coincidence, but since gas prices went up, traffic fatalities for all vehicles (except SUVs) have decreased. Overall, 2006 (the most recent data year available) had the lowest traffic fatality and injury rate in five years, and most of the decrease was due to reduced accidents during daylight hours on weekdays (commute time).

So is the high price of gas making us safer? Indeed. With fewer commuter vehicles on the road, especially roll-over prone SUVs, and more people taking public transit, the facts suggest there's less chance for accidents.

Comments

There's no question that there will be less driving. Cheap fuel has helped Americans make pigs of themselves.

Posted by: Rhea on 01/23/08 at 12:21 PM Respond

"Now, this may be a coincidence, but since gas prices went up, traffic fatalities for all vehicles (except SUVs) have decreased. Overall, 2006 (the most recent data year available) had the lowest traffic fatality and injury rate in five years, and most of the decrease was due to reduced accidents during daylight hours on weekdays (commute time).

So is the high price of gas making us safer? Indeed."

Geez...I realize this is a blog, but c'mon, that's pure speculation! And speculation is what'll kill us on climate, if we don't verify these claims.

Posted by: JS on 01/23/08 at 3:53 PM Respond

$3/gallon??!!? I guess the price has DROPPED to 20% of what it was in 1998. Nah. That can't be right. We just still refuse to count the real costs.

http://tinyurl.com/2lcsso

I'm sure that when the Iraq war and other price increases are included, today's price will be far higher than the $15/gallon price we had in 1998.

Perhaps if we paid it all at the pumps instead of those of us with fuel efficient vehicles and public transportation subsidizing the Humpers, Naggravators, and Land Bruisers with our tax payments, we'd see better cars on the road.

Posted by: Misanthropic Scott on 01/23/08 at 5:20 PM Respond

At89/brl gas will be 4.39/gal by april so will really be safe except there wont be any trucks left to feed us and the airlines will be dead and the school taxes will soar to pay for buses and the cops wont be allowed to drive,etc

Posted by: fred skretch on 01/24/08 at 2:55 PM Respond

"ridiculously expensive petroleum" ... you're not factoring in the real price:

http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/100-a-barrel-what-is-the-true--002824.php

Gas is very cheap right now at the pump.

Posted by: Rushmore on 01/24/08 at 4:28 PM Respond

The U.S. has declining oil production, so don't expect prices to drop. We now produce half the domesticc oil we did in 1970, when we hit peak oil. The public remains blissfully unaware of this. And the coming 'great shift' to uranium.

Posted by: peak on 01/24/08 at 7:23 PM Respond

Well, I for one HAVE slowed down, and my mileage has increased to it's higher level ever. I have also noticed a number of other drivers slowing down. It will take a little while for the rest of the herd to catch on. :-)

Posted by: Tony on 01/25/08 at 5:02 AM Respond

The only positive I can see is that people aren't speeding as much.

Posted by: Natalie on 01/25/08 at 5:37 AM Respond

Personally I can't wait for $5 gallon gas. I can just hear the screaming now! High gas prices are the ONLY thing that will get us stupid americans to change our destructive ways. Plus, I own oil & refinery stock, so I just laugh at the high prices (as I ride my bicycle around town).
People will complain about the price of gas as they fill up their HUMMER while driving 50 miles each way to work. If you can afford a Hummer, you can probably afford $10-$20 gallon gas, so quit bitching or do something about it.

Posted by: WeTheSheeple on 01/26/08 at 7:50 AM Respond

Well said(WeTheSheeple).

Posted by: Michael Savage on 01/27/08 at 12:31 PM Respond