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Can you imagine it? Americans used less gasoline in 2006 than in 2005. What a surprise!
You remember. In 2006, gasoline prices spiked to over $3.00 per gallon in many parts of the country. Sales of fuel-inefficient big SUVs and full size pickups stalled. SUVs and pickups piled up on dealer lots and in storage facilities around the country.
VehicleVoice Survey Shows Drivers Not Changing Driving Habits Much, But Government Data Say Increases in Miles Driven Have Stabilized
Each month, VehicleVoice surveys our panel members with the Fuel Price Impact Survey. This tracking survey has found that panel members (who represent the general driving population) weren’t making any really substantial changes in the way they drove, but they were aware that changes in their driving habits could influence fuel usage. What government data show is that miles driven has stabilized.
Data from the government confirms that, year-to-year, 2006 was about the same as 2005 in terms of miles driven. The minuscule 0.10% increase in 2006 was the lowest since 1979 and 1980 where there actually were decreases in miles driven.
Minor Changes in Driving Habits Can Save Significant Amounts of Fuel

With the typical American driver driving almost 14,000 miles per year, even a minor change in driving habits can save a tremendous amount of fuel. VehicleVoice data show that combining trips is the most common way of saving fuel. What our data clearly show, however, is that people are not driving slower to conserve fuel nor are they checking the air pressure in their tires. In fact, low air pressure in tires can hurt fuel economy by 10% to 15%.