Opinion Column

LILLEY: Safety takes back seat to fuel economy 0

By Brian Lilley, National Bureau




"These new regulations improve fuel efficiency so that by 2025 new cars will consume 50% less fuel and emit 50% less GHGs than a similar 2008 model, leading to significant savings at the pump," Environment Minister Peter Kent said in a news release.

I can't really blame Kent and the rest of the Harper government.








Why would this happen?

Think of cars in the '70s. They were big, they were bulky and they were safe. Then they got smaller and not just because the buying public demanded cars that used less gas.

An analysis by the U.S.-based National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in the first 10 years that the CAFE standards applied, cars became on average 1,000 pounds lighter, and their wheelbases 10 inches smaller.


I wish I had Canadian stats on this -- I don't yet and I don't know if they exist. I'm not sure if we even keep track of this or if anyone has asked the question. So I will: Are we about to sacrifice safety for better fuel economy in the name of global warming?

If history teaches us any lessons, the answer is yes.

As I said, the Harper government didn't have much choice here, and even if it didn't act, the industry would have followed the Obama administration's lead.




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