The upside of higher fuel prices

You wouldn't think there is an upside to paying more for fuel, particularly after the record low rates we saw at the beginning of this calendar year. Apparently those days are behind us and prices are once again on the rise.

Well, they do say that every cloud has a silver lining and, according to information recently published by the National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP), cheaper fuel generally leads to more road fatalities.

NRSPP was reporting on an interview conducted and broadcast by National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States. Although the figures directly relate to the US and its significantly higher population, we can probably surmise that the trend is similar in other parts of the western world.

The interview covered analysis undertaken by Guangqing Chi, a sociologist from South Dakota State University. Chi had apparently been examining the relationship between fuel prices and road fatalities in the US. He suggested that an (unlikely) $2 drop in fuel prices could equate to 9000 additional fatalities nationwide.

According to Chi, people are more likely to adopt safe driving habits (such as slower acceleration and maintaining steady speeds) when fuel prices are high - but with lower fuel consumption rather than safety in mind. The net result, obviously, is less carnage on the roads.

You're sharing the road with this guy when fuel prices are low.

Additionally, people drive less when prices are high, preferring to tackle as many tasks in one outing as possible, rather than making a number of separate trips during the day.

The final reason for the phenomenon is that higher fuel prices discourage younger drivers, who are inherently higher risk-takers.

Chi even went as far as suggesting that local US gasoline taxes should be hiked up to ensure an ongoing overall higher fuel price, thereby saving lives. It seems like an extreme way to encourage better driving practices and would inevitably disadvantage less wealthy drivers, so is perhaps not the ideal solution.

Of course, if you drive for a living, you probably won’t be on the road more or less relative to price levels, but it is interesting to note that you may well be sharing the roads with safer drivers when petrol prices are high.

For more information and a complete transcript of the interview, visit the NPR site here.

Image credit: ©carlos_bcn/Dollar Photo Club