Will Cheaper Gas Cause Increased Driving?

As oil prices plunge to well below $100/barrel, will Americans reverse all their fuel-efficient behavior learned from $145 oil seen in July? It appears that the economic crisis may continue where the energy crisis left off.

1 minute read

October 14, 2008, 1:00 PM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The sour economy is prompting (Americans) to stick to their new fuel-efficient ways, a pattern that is likely to hold across the country even if gas gets cheaper.

"There's been a sea change in people's attitudes in terms of gasoline consumption," said Michael Right, a spokesman for the auto club AAA in Missouri. "The economic situation is not conducive to spending more money on energy."

"Though gas prices dropped in August, Americans didn't return to their gas-guzzling ways. Gasoline demand remained an average of 1.9% lower than in 2007, weekly data from the Department of Energy shows. Last week, gas demand was off 5.5% versus last year..."

From SF Chronicle, 10/11/08:

"Oil sold on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped $8.89 to close at $77.70 per barrel, its lowest price since Sept. 10, 2007.

California's average price for a gallon of regular is dropping about 2 cents per day, hitting $3.53 on Friday, according to the AAA auto club. The national average... is falling even faster. It dropped 5 cents overnight to reach $3.35 on Friday. That's still 59 cents more per gallon than it was a year ago."

"...some OPEC members have signaled they want oil to stabilize around $80 per barrel. But if the economy worsens, they may not get their wish."

Friday, October 10, 2008 in The Wall Street Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

July 6 - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine