Study shows Americans driving less
Miles driven by U.S. drivers are down about 5 percent from their peak in 2006, says a new study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
The Institute had previously found that the number of registered vehicles reached its peak in 2006. Researcher Michael Sivak analyzed trends in distances driven by light-duty vehicles and found the 5 percent drop from 2006 to 2011, the latest year for which data is available.
Distance driven per person, per licensed driver and per household have all dropped 9 percent since 2004. The latest rate (2011) per licensed driver is 12,492 miles a year.
The rates all peaked in 2004, four years before the start of the recession, says researcher Michael Sivak. The reasons, he adds, are noneconomic: increased telecommuting, greater use of public transportation, a more urban population and an aging driver base. Because those trends are likely to continue, chances are good that the 2004 peak will be a long-term one.
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