Why not raise gas taxes to inspire consumer demand for more efficient SUVs?
Gas taxes can encourage people to drive less and to purchase vehicles with better fuel economy. Once fuel economy standards are successfully increased, increased gas taxes may have a role to play in reducing driving and keeping potholes filled and roads safe. However, additional federal taxation of gasoline is an extremely controversial issue, and is unlikely to see any progress due to a lack of political and public support. This makes advocating for higher gas taxes an easy diversionary tactic for the auto industry as they put the responsibility for low fuel economy on consumers instead of making better cars and trucks for us all. UCS focuses its energies on finding the most realistic technological and policy solutions for current vehicles issues, such as pushing NHTSA to make fuel-efficient choices in their CAFE standard revisions and to improve vehicle safety standards.
