Increasing gas prices in the nation creates a significant barrier to individuals suffering from low income in a poor economy. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average person spends 55 minutes a day behind the wheel and drives 29 miles per day. The average price of gasoline in the U.S. has increased approximately 200 percent in the last four years, up from $1.61 to $3.62 per gallon.
The average person driving 29 miles per day in 2008 would be spending approximately $840 annually assuming driving in an automobile that averages 20 miles per gallon. The same person in the same vehicle today will be spending $1,889 annually.
An individual attempting to escape poverty by obtaining employment will be faced with finding a method of transportation to commute to work. The significant increase in gasoline prices not only affects people paying for personal transportation, but also people relying on public transportation services.
While electric cars may be the way of the future, we currently rely on oil for transportation. To obtain economic relief in the form of lower gas prices, the nation’s reliance on foreign oil needs to be alleviated. This can be accomplished by authorizing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
