Title

The High Cost of Driving

Authors

Olga Ramos

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2011

Abstract

Most of us typically associate the costs of driving solely with the prices of gasoline. In reality, however, the costs of driving are much higher than simply the amount of money we spend on gasoline to get from point A to point B. There are various externalities associated with driving that one must consider when evaluating the costs of driving. Aside from the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, driving also results in accidents, congestion, noisy streets, and health problems. Several policies have been implemented to try to reduce the extent of such externalities in the U.S. The most debated policies have been increasing the corporate average fuel economy (CAF?) standards and increasing gasoline taxes. This study will focus on the use of personal cars and reasoning behind such heightened use at Occidental College. Occidental College will therefore be used as a case study for student driving in and around the Los Angeles area. Data used in this study was collected through a survey that was given to students on campus on their driving habits. The survey was the key to deriving the determinants of student driving and determining the best policy that should be implemented to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled per student.

Advisor

Bevin Ashenmiller

Department

econ

Support

Undergraduate Research Fund for Corporate Responsibility



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