Impact of Pay-at-the-Pump on Safety Through Enhanced Vehicle Fuel Efficiency

Abstract

Pay-at-the-Pump (PATP) is a proposal for replacing the lump-sum payment of auto insurance by a system of surcharge on gasoline price. This study examines the main argument made against PATP-namely, that by stimulating the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, PATP results in a drastic deterioration in highway safety. The study finds the evidence does not support this argument. Moreover, if as critics argue, PATP does indeed result in a substantially accelerated replacement of older vehicles with more fuel-efficient ones, the introduction of PATP may be expected to result in a substantially safer fleet of vehicles, as well.