$22 million in daily fuel costs, 6.7 million gallons of gasoline and 57,000 metric tonnes of CO2 could be saved if U.S. drivers stopped speeding, a University of Minnesota study found.
120 million trips analyzed from four 2021 Wednesdays showed more than 43% included at least one speeding episode, with drivers spending nearly 12% of travel time above posted limits on roads of 45 mph or higher.
54 seconds is the average extra daily travel time from staying at or below the speed limit across a 28.6-mile driving day, undercutting the idea that speeding meaningfully shortens commutes.
This year's higher gas prices lift the estimated savings to about $26 million and 7.2 million gallons a day, though an outside expert said that still amounts to only a small share of U.S. gasoline use.