Kick It into Underdrive

Americans driving less, SUV fervor cooling

Who woulda thunk it: For the first time in 25 years, Americans are driving less. A study by Cambridge Energy Research Associates finds that the average American drove 13,657 miles in 2005, down from 13,711 in 2004. So that's, let's see ... um, carry the one ... a whopping 54 miles. We'll take it! Last year also saw SUVs comprise a smaller chunk of new-vehicle sales; even though gas-guzzlers still account for more than half of such sales, "the passion has cooled," says the report. Data on the actual gas being guzzled was good and bad: While consumption continues to rise, demand grew at a rate of only 0.3 percent last year and 1 percent for the first 11 months of 2006, compared to 1.6 percent per year from 1990 to 2004. High prices were a critical factor in this change to stubborn Yank behavior; gas sucks up about 3.8 percent of average household spending. The graying of the population has also contributed, as older drivers tend to drive less -- at least until Dennis Hopper gets ahold of them.