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The disutility of driving below the speed limit on highways

Author

Listed:
  • Filipi Nikol

    (Department of Economics, Masaryk University, Lipová 41a, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic)

  • Karlínová Bára

    (, Kiwi.com, Lazaretní 925/9, 615 00 Brno - Židenice, Czech Republic)

  • Krčál Ondřej

    (Department of Economics, Masaryk University, Lipová 41a, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Reducing travel speed below the highway speed limit leads to savings in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. However, car drivers may be reluctant to drive more slowly either because they do not want to lose time or for other reasons we refer to as ‘the disutility of driving at lower speeds’. In this paper, we use a survey experiment to isolate the disutility of driving at lower speeds by comparing drivers’ willingness to accept compensation for a fixed increase in travel time caused either by taking a longer route or by travelling at below-limit speeds. We show that Czech drivers require higher compensation for travelling at lower speeds than they require for the same travel time increment caused by a longer distance. This result represents the first piece of evidence showing that the disutility of driving at below-limit speeds on a highway is substantial and economically relevant.

Suggested Citation

  • Filipi Nikol & Karlínová Bára & Krčál Ondřej, 2022. "The disutility of driving below the speed limit on highways," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 22(4), pages 267-277, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:reoecp:v:22:y:2022:i:4:p:267-277:n:5
    DOI: 10.2478/revecp-2022-0012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CO2 emissions; highway speed; voluntary climate action; survey experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General

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