Desperate to dress up the Trump administration’s possible rollback of fuel economy standards for cars as something other than what it is — a fat prize package for the auto and oil industries — some of the president’s supporters have come up with a doozy.
They’re calling it a matter of safety.
Their argument: Imposing strict miles-per-gallon requirements forces automakers to build smaller cars, which tend to be more fuel-efficient but less safe than bigger ones. So easing the standards would allow manufacturers to fill the roads with larger cars, which will save lives.
Sounds nice and noble, but it’s actually one of many examples of how the fossil fuels industry thinks it can tell Americans anything and they’ll believe it.
In reality, high MPG requirements increase safety on the roads. That’s the finding of a study released in April by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which said a reduction in the weight of cars could lead to fewer fatalities.
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Earhgarage. Greener Car. Fatter Wallet.