Poll: High gas prices lower driving time

WASHINGTON – High gasoline prices already had most people cutting back on driving before the shutdown of an Alaska pipeline threatened to push costs even higher. However, few drivers are making bigger changes, such as carpooling or using mass transit.

Fifty-five percent of drivers said they had reduced their driving because of high gas prices, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center. About one in five said they had started carpooling or sharing rides more often, while 12 percent said they had begun using mass transit more often.

Economists say Americans’ dependence on the automobile makes it unlikely drivers will change their driving habits dramatically, regardless of price increases, at least in the short term.

“There are small ways to cut down on driving. But in comparison to other products, there is no substitute for gasoline or for driving,” said Matthew Lewis, assistant professor of economics at Ohio State University. “You probably can’t buy a smaller car (in the short term). And people can’t change where they live or where they work.”

AP