Publication

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector continue to increase. Lower speeds on roads would reduce fuel consumption and thereby emissions. Drivers choose the speed of their vehicles, but do they realize the full benefit of a reduced speed on fuel consumption? In a set of questionnaires, professional truck drivers and student groups were asked to judge fuel consumption at decreasing and increasing speeds. The truck drivers underestimated the amount of fuel saved by decreasing speed, but made more accurate judgments of fuel lost at increasing speeds. Student groups made better judgments of fuel saved at decreasing speeds than the truck drivers. It is important that drivers understand the full benefit of a reduced speed on fuel consumption. This may affect both preferred driving speed and attitudes towards lower speed limits. Some policy suggestions on how to promote environmentally efficient driving were discussed.