Survey: Support for 40 mpg
Seventy-eight percent: That’s the proportion of Americans who want the federal government to impose a 40 mpg fuel efficiency standard, according to a survey released last week by the Civil Society Institute (CSI). Conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, the survey of 1,016 Americans also found that nine out of 10 expect gas prices to go up “in the near future.” The survey offers some insight into how elevated gas prices are affecting purchasing decisions: Some 70 percent of those surveyed say they will factor expected future gas price increases into their considerations, and nearly half (45 percent) say they are more likely now to buy “a hybrid or other fuel-efficient vehicle” than they were six months ago.
CSI, a nonprofit and nonpartisan public policy think tank, hopes the survey results will serve as a wake-up call to automakers and legislators. The institute points out that the issue of fuel economy has become linked to national security in the minds of Americans: When asked the question “Given America's dependence on foreign oil, do you agree or disagree that greater fuel efficiency for cars, SUVs, and trucks is in our national security interests?” four out of five agreed. Significantly, the trend extended across party lines, registering agreement from 82 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of Democrats, and 77 percent of independents.
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