Gas Price Actually Reducing Driving

You might think that increased gas prices lead to less driving, but historically that has not been the case. Gas demand is very inelastic (or gas prices are very elastic): which means demand changes very little as prices increase.

How much has consumption actually decreased in the face of huge increases in prices? The US government predicts .3% this year: and there is evidence it might actually be declining more in the last few months. Finally a significant reduction in demand may be upon us. Previously the only significant reaction was increased complaints but little change in behavior.

Gas may finally cost too much:

Preliminary figures from the Federal Highway Administration show it falling 1.4% last year. Now, with nationwide gasoline prices having passed the inflation-adjusted record of $3.40 a gallon set back in 1981, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is predicting that gasoline consumption will actually fall 0.3% this year. That would be the first annual decline since 1991.

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