We have new C.A.F.E. standards

Thank you, TelePrompter Jesus

so anyway, this week has seen The President signing into Law a new C.A.F.E. standard of a corporate average of 35.5 mpg by 2016. That great and all, except for one small nagging over-looked fact: a lot more people will die because of the new standard.

Steve Milloy recognizes the cold, hard light of the real world:

Obama’s standards will require automakers to meet a 35 miles-per-gallon standard by 2016 — four years earlier than the same standard imposed by the Energy Security and Independence Act of 2007.

As discussed in my new book Green Hell, the only way for carmakers to meet these standard is to make smaller, lighter and deadlier cars.

The National Academy of Sciences has linked mileage standards with about 2,000 deaths per year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every 100-pound reduction in the weight of small cars increases annual traffic fatalities by as much as 715.

(h/t to Gabe at Ace of Spades HQ for the linkage.)

Right on, Steve. I opined on the subject back in January of this year:

Increasing the C.A.F.E. standards has two immediate impacts: first, more people will die in car crashes. The quickest, cheapest way to improve fuel economy is to reduce vehicle weight; the lighter the vehicle, the less likely it (and it's occupants) survives the crash. Period. Full Stop. Second, higher C.A.F.E. standards points to "downsizing" for the automakers and their suppliers.

(As I just got "downsized" from the Stoopid Business™ on 13MAY09, you can take all of this with a grain of salt.)

You ask, just what sort of car will you'll be driving by 2016? I offer up a couple of examples. First off, Ragin' Dave of Four Right Wing Wackos fame:

If the most corrupt, incompetent Congress EVAH would mandate more changes to the automotive industry, thus helping complete the destruction of said industry.

Oh, wait. That's taken care of.

Some soccer moms will have to give up hulking SUVs. Carpenters will still haul materials around in pickup trucks, but they will cost more. Nearly everybody else will drive smaller cars, and more of them will run on electricity.

The higher mileage and emissions standards set by the Obama administration on Tuesday, which begin to take effect in 2012 and are to be achieved by 2016, will transform the American car and truck fleet.

These worthless, stupid, ball-gargling ass-cannons have just written the death warrant for US Auto companies. Hell, they've just damaged the auto industry period. Remember what I wrote about the Chevy Aveo a few months back? Imagine every new car being sold is JUST LIKE THAT PIECE OF SHIT.

Dave's comments on the Chevy Aveo are not to be missed.

Also not to be missed are Jeremy Clarkson's comments on the new Honda Insight:

Much has been written about the Insight, Honda’s new low-priced hybrid. We’ve been told how much carbon dioxide it produces, how its dashboard encourages frugal driving by glowing green when you’re easy on the throttle and how it is the dawn of all things. The beginning of days.

So far, though, you have not been told what it’s like as a car; as a tool for moving you, your friends and your things from place to place.

So here goes. It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more.

It gets a whole lot funnier from there, do go read the whole thing.

thatisall