Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 1 august 2018

U.S. says driving would be riskier if fuel standards tougher

By TOM KRISHER and ELLEN at the Natural Resources
KNICKMEYER, Defense Council, said the
Associated Press risk from people driving
WASHINGTON (AP) — The more due to higher mile-
Trump administration says age is "tiny and maybe
people would drive more even negligible."
and be exposed to in- Under the Trump adminis-
creased risk if their cars tration proposal, the fleet
get better gas mileage, of new vehicles would
an argument intended to have to average roughly 30
justify freezing Obama-era mpg in real-world driving,
toughening of fuel stan- and that wouldn't change
dards. through 2026.
Transportation experts dis- California has had the au-
pute the arguments, con- thority under the half-cen-
tained in a draft of the tury-old Clean Air Act to
administration's proposals set its own mileage under
prepared this summer, ex- a special rule allowing the
cerpts of which were ob- state to curb its chronic
tained by The Associated smog problem. More than
Press. a dozen states follow Cali-
The excerpts also show fornia's standards, amount-
the administration plans to In this Jan. 11, 2018, file photo, cars pass the Queensboro Bridge in New York. ing to about 40 percent of
challenge California's long- Associated Press the country's new-vehicle
standing authority to enact market.
its own, tougher pollution quirements at 2020 levels same," he said. as aluminum, magnesium, Asked if he thinks a freeze
and fuel standards. would save up to 1,000 lives Experts say the logic that titanium and lighter, high- in U.S. mileage standards
Revisions to the mileage re- per year. heavier vehicles are safer strength steel alloys per- is warranted, EPA act-
quirements for 2021 through New vehicles would be doesn't hold up because form as well or better than ing administrator Andrew
2026 are still being worked cheaper — and heavier — lighter, newer vehicles per- their predecessors in crash Wheeler told a small group
on, the administration says, if they don't have to meet form as well or better than tests. of reporters at EPA head-
and changes could be more stringent fuel require- older, heavier versions in Alan Taub, professor of quarters last week, "I think
made before the proposal ments and more people crash tests, and because materials science and en- we need to go where the
is released as soon as this would buy them, the draft the weight difference be- gineering at the University technology takes us" on
week. says, and that would put tween the Obama and of Michigan, said he would fuel standards.
The Trump administration more drivers in safer, newer Trump requirements would choose a 2017 Malibu over Wheeler did not elaborate.
gave notice earlier this vehicles that pollute less. be minimal. a heavier one from 20 years Agency spokespeople did
year that it would roll back At the same time, the draft "Allow me to be skeptical," earlier. It's engineered bet- not respond when asked
tough new fuel standards says that people will drive said Giorgio Rizzoni, an en- ter, has more features to specifically if the EPA act-
put into place in the wan- less if their vehicles get few- gineering professor and di- avoid crashes and addi- ing chief was making the
ing days of the Obama ad- er miles per gallon, lower- rector of the Center for Au- tional air bags, among oth- case that modern cars
ministration. Anticipating ing the risk of crashes. tomotive Research at Ohio er things. "You want to be in could be both fuel efficient
the new regulation, Cali- David Zuby, chief research State University. "To say that the newer vehicle," he said. and safe.
fornia and 16 other states officer at the Insurance In- safety is a direct result of An April draft from the Wheeler also spoke out for
sued the Trump administra- stitute for Highway Safety, somehow freezing the fuel Trump administration said what he called "a 50-state
tion in May. said he's doubtful about the economy mandate for a freezing the requirements solution" that would keep
Overall, "improvements administration's estimate of few years, I think that's a at 2020 levels would save the U.S car and truck mar-
over time have better lives saved because other stretch." people $1,900 per new ve- ket from splitting between
longer-term effects simply factors could affect traffic Experts say that a heavier, hicle. But the later draft rais- two different mileage stan-
by not alienating consum- deaths, such as automak- bigger vehicle would incur es that to $2,100 and even dards.
ers, as compared to great ers agreeing to make au- less damage in a crash with as high as $2,700 by 2025. The Department of Trans-
leaps forward" in fuel ef- tomatic emergency brak- a smaller, lighter one and Environmental groups portation said in a state-
ficiency and other tech- ing standard on all models that fatality rates also are questioned the justification ment that the final fuel
nology, the administration before 2022. "They're mak- higher for smaller vehicles. for freezing the standards. economy standards would
argues. It contends that ing assumptions about stuff But they also say that light- Luke Tonachel, director of be based on sound sci-
freezing the mileage re- that may or may not be the er vehicles with metals such the clean-vehicle program ence. q