Revving Up Senate Bill on Fuel Economy

“Government Should Steer Clear of the Fuel Economy Issue” (Commentary, March 1) relies on an outdated argument to suggest that much-needed new fuel economy standards will cost lives. In fact, the Kerry-Hollings fuel economy provisions now before the Senate will save lives, fuel and emissions.

William Niskanen and Peter Van Doren base their conclusions about safety on a study using data from 1993, before air bags were standard equipment and before SUVs took over our roadways, endangering other drivers. When the methods of the original study were duplicated using recent crash data, the update showed no increase in crash fatalities.

When fuel economy standards were upgraded in the 1980s, new technology, not weight reduction, was the primary tool. If new standards are set, only the heaviest vehicles will lose weight, improving highway safety for all drivers.

The Senate fuel economy bill also requires safety improvements for vehicle compatibility and rollover crashes, which will save thousands of lives each year. Readers should not be scared by a safety myth spread out of self-interest by the auto industry.

Joan Claybrook

President, Public Citizen

Washington