With higher prices for fuel, U.S. drivers are driving less. The total distance driven on all roads and streets in the United States declined 1.9 percent in May compared to the year before, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Transportation. That puts aggregate driving distance in the range of 2003–2004, despite the population growth since then.
The reaction to this year’s fuel price increases is more rapid than in 2007–2008, suggesting that people have learned to become more aware of the costs of driving.
