U.S. Drivers Hitting The Road Less

Spurred By High Gas Prices, 12.2 Billion Fewer Miles Driven In June Than Year Before

(AP)  As summer vacation season kicked in, Americans got out of their cars, driving 12.2 billion fewer miles in June than the same month a year earlier.

The 4.7 percent decline, which came while gas prices were peaking, was the biggest monthly driving drop in a downward trend that began in November, the Federal Highway Administration said Wednesday.

"Clearly, more Americans chose to stay close to home in June than in previous years," said Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.

Overall, Americans drove 53.2 billion fewer miles November through June than they did over the same eight-month period a year earlier, according to the highway agency's latest monthly report on driving. That's a larger decline than the 49.3 billion fewer miles driven by Americans over the entire decade of the 1970s, a period marked by oil embargoes and gas lines, the agency said.

Travel Industry Association spokeswoman Cathy Keefe said the June driving decline "is not surprising, given the environment that we were in." But she was optimistic that the recent drop in gas prices to below $4 a gallon in many parts of the country will have travelers on the road again.

"I think people have started to take the increase in gas prices somewhat more in stride," Keefe said. The trade association is predicting only a 1.2 percent decline in all forms of business and leisure travel this year.

Some of the biggest declines in June compared with a year ago were in such popular vacation states as Maine, down 7 percent, and Florida, down 6 percent. Western states with wide-open spaces were also part of the trend - down 7.7 percent in Montana, 6.9 percent in Washington, 6.8 percent in Wyoming, 6.7 percent in Nevada, 6.2 percent in Kansas and 6.1 percent in Alaska. Ohio saw a 4.6 percent decline.

The June driving data, collected by more than 4,000 automatic traffic recorders operated round-the-clock by state highway agencies, were supported by a telephone survey by AARP of people age 50 and over in which 67 percent said they have cut back on their driving because of high gas prices.

Four in 10 said they have used public transportation, walked or ridden a bicycle more frequently since gas prices have risen, according to the AARP poll, which was being released Wednesday.

Elinior Ginzler, AARP's senior vice president for livable communities, said she's concerned that communities don't have adequate sidewalks, bus shelters, bike lanes and public transportation options as more people look for other means to get around.

"More Americans age 50-plus are trying to leave their cars behind but face obstacles as soon as they walk out the door, climb on their bikes or head for the bus," Ginzler said.

AARP polled 1,006 people nationally between July 9 and July 15. The poll has margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Gas consumption was down, too. The highway administration said motorists consumed 400 million fewer gallons of gasoline and 318 million fewer gallons of diesel in the first quarter of 2008 than in the same period in 2007.

Peters said the decline in driving will mean less money for highway repairs and construction projects needed to relieve traffic congestion. The Highway Trust Fund, which underwrites the projects, is funded by the federal 18.4 cents a gallon tax on gasoline and 24.4 cents a gallon tax on diesel.

The driving drop was not all bad, however.

"There is at least one silver lining in what's otherwise fairly painful news and that is that less driving means less air pollution and fewer global warming emissions," said Frank O'Donnell of the environmental group Clean Air Watch. Emissions from cars and trucks, along with power plants, are the top sources of air pollution, he said.

[toldyouso12]

"I think people have started to take the increase in gas prices somewhat more in stride," Keefe said. The trade association is predicting only a 1.2 percent decline in all forms of business and leisure travel this year. "

What a stupid statement. Keefe acts like driving or not driving is based on the whim of the consumer instead of the financial life or death equation that it really means for many Americans. Those who can''t afford 4/gal probably can''t afford 3.60/gal either and they still won''t be driving as much. We really need to get a clue--as for her comment--it is the frog in a pot syndrome. Businesses hope we get used to the new pricing paradigm, so they can continue to stick it to us and charge us thousands for what we used to pay a few dollars for. (from food, to clothing to gas)

[barbaram99]

As I write the cars drive non stop and the boys and girls are getting their arses shot at in a war zone and ye wanna drive, Let have a day where ye don''t drive unless ye must on the idea on the Amrican Day of not smoking.

[randynason]

What a dumb post. It''s only about four months late and the least of our worries, at this point. Kinda like Bush saying "the economy is robust," when we''re already entering the recession.

[whitemale08]

Posted by whitemale08 at 05:05 PM : Aug 13, 2008

Huh????


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Posted by slim1h2o at 05:13 PM : Aug 13, 2008--

My point was that the cost of the war in Iraq added to the defecit. And because we use fiat currency then those defecits add inflation to ga prices, food, housing and everything.

The only exception to this is by "raising taxes on the rich". But since you didn''t do that now us the "middle clas" is paying for this nonsense since you believe that Saddam still has WMD.

Therefore, NO AMOUNT OF DRILLING IS GOING TO STOP INFLATION!!!

So stop spending trillions on people who offended Bush''s dad and you will see inflationary prices come down.

Critics of the war warned you that this would blow-out the defecit and cause higher oil prices. But "Republican Suicide Bombers" did it anyways.

[cdfoxtrot2]

I noticed a lot fewer idiots on the road, clogging the highways over the past few months and slowing everyone down while they make their cell phone calls, talk to the one kid in the back, etc. It was great while it lasted. A lot more traffic back out there, now that the price of "ge-***" has dropped. I was so hoping for $6 a gallon.

[barbaram99]

What it is is man made. YEP the roads they never cool down. Ye stand by a road,parking lot and ye do feel the heat. Hot heat. We shall over come yep. Will it be to late. Hope not. As a people can we make a difference. Yep. It will hurt. We can do it.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by whitemale08 at 05:05 PM : Aug 13, 2008

Huh????

[whitemale08]

all have different ideas, and lets see where it all goes, we got to find a way to get off this poison oil once and for all. meanwhile KEEP CUTTING BACK AND LETS SHAKE THEM UP SOME MORE. Americans have always found a way and we will again as one people.


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Posted by starleo14672 at 04:38 PM : Aug 13, 2008--

It''s called "inflation" nothing else and nothing more.

When were gunho about hunting down Donald Rumsfield''s friend Saddam Hussein after he threaten Bush''s daddy then basicly you said to yourself:

"Don''t worry you frisky little fat cat''s on Wall Street, I''m going to pay for this by paying inflationary prices for my home and for food and gas because I''m like really really stupid and like I know like deficits don''t matter and stuff, because seriously Rush the best way to show that you are an American is to keep your windows rolled down on that SUV and sweat your butt off to save gas".

[slim1h2o]

Posted by starleo14672 at 04:28 PM : Aug 13, 2008

I agree,,make''em sweat. Then jail them!

[slim1h2o]

meanwhile KEEP CUTTING BACK AND LETS SHAKE THEM UP SOME MORE. Americans have always found a way and we will again as one people.

Posted by starleo14672 at 04:38 PM : Aug 13, 2008

Very wise words. Yes we will over come, well I hope so anyways. But with every passing day, I have my doubts.