Competition
Americans buy the biggest vehicles available, but polls show that, given an option, some three-quarters of them vote for dramatic increases in fuel-economy standards. Polls that explicitly lay out the potential trade-offs involved still find support for tougher standards. A recent survey of pickup owners found that 70% strongly favored tougher requirements.
Back in the 1970s, players were allowed, but not required, to wear helmets, and most players chose to go helmet-less, despite the risk of severe head trauma. But when they were asked in secret ballots most players also said that the league should require them to wear helmets. Not wearing a helmet conferred a slight advantage on the ice. The players wanted to have their heads protected, but as individuals they couldn’t afford to jeopardize their effectiveness.
Between 1984 and 2002, the average vehicle got 20% heavier and its zero-to-sixty acceleration improved by 24%, while fuel efficiency stagnated. By contrast, between 1975, when fuel-economy standards were first introduced, and 1984, average fuel economy improved by 62%, without any decline in performance.