Vehicle Miles Driven

President Barack Obama's fuel economy standards, which mandate that all new vehicles average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, will only increase the average vehicle miles traveled, (VMT). As cars become more fuel efficient people will travel more. This will increase road maintenance cost and prevent a more rapid decline in the highway fatality rate.

("The fatality rate (fatalities per 100 million VMT) on the Nation’s highways continues to decline. In 2006, the fatality rate reached 1.41, which is a historical low. Although the fatality rate is declining, there were still 42,642 fatalities in 2006.")

Nor does this mean less imported oil as people drive more.

What will get people of the roads, reducing the costs of roads, and save lives, and use less fuel, will be costs of fuel. We should reduce income taxes and raise taxes on gasoline.

An increase in gasoline taxes would likely move people to public transportation, car pooling, and move them closer to work.

Charles Tolleson
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics;

In January 2008, Americans drove a total of 226 billion miles. VMT peaks in summer and is lowest in winter.

A steady increase in VMT has been observed over the last several decades. According to the Wall Street Journal, "from 1977 to 2001, the number of miles driven every year by Americans rose by 151% -- about five times faster than the growth in population” [4].

Arguably more important than fuel efficiency, Vehicle-Miles Traveled directly affects gas consumption, emissions, and traffic patterns.

Highway VMT dropped from 2007 to 2008 due to high gas prices.