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Argument: Higher fuel economy standards do not increase driving

Issue Report: Vehicle fuel economy standards

Support

Ian Parry. “Should Automobile Fuel Economy Standards Be Increased?”. Resources for the Future. 17 Sept. 2007 – Critics of CAFE standards sometimes point to the perverse effect of higher fuel economy on lowering fuel costs per mile and increasing the incentive to drive, which can increase highway congestion, accidents, and pollution. However, according to a recent study by Kenneth Small and Kurt Van Dender, less than 10 percent of the fuel savings from better fuel economy are offset by increased driving; most likely, the costs of this “rebound effect” are probably fairly modest.