6.1 How to get people to behave: The Three P’s

I have a great idea.

This idea can save virtually everyone money on an individual level, improve the overall economy, and save lives. It will also reduce pollution, help save the planet, and reduce American entanglement in wars on the other side of the planet.

Here’s the idea: “Convince people to drive the speed limit.” I’m not talking about changing speed limits; I’m just suggesting that people drive the speed limit that’s already posted. No new signs will be required. I’m also not talking about strict enforcement of speed limit laws — note the word “convince.” I just want to plant the idea in people’s heads that if the sign says “60 MPH,” then they should actually drive 60 miles per hour… or less.

Why? Because, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, when you drive a gas vehicle faster than 50 mph, your gas mileage decreases rapidly. In fact, “you can assume that each 5 miles per hour you drive over 50 is like paying an additional $0.25 per gallon for gas.”

I don’t have equivalent figures for electric vehicles, but the principle that the faster you go, the more energy you use must be the same, so going slower would decrease charging time and increase vehicle range.

Considering how many people are shelling out big bucks for efficient vehicles, and how they react when the price of a gallon of gas shoots up 25 cents, you’d think they would be interested in something that drops the price that much. Additionally, less demand for gas will lower gas prices overall, benefiting many members of the population. Better fuel efficiency means less pollution. It’s a win-win-win-win-win.

None of this is a secret, so why is almost nobody doing it? Why do websites that talk about it (such as https://www.fueleconomy.gov) get so little attention? Why does almost everybody instead do something that costs them money, and that they know is illegal and dangerous: speeding?

Texting while driving is also illegal and dangerous, leading to unnecessary deaths. Even taking dangerous selfies is on the list of things that are needlessly killing people.

What can we do? I can think of three general ways to stop people from doing things they shouldn’t be doing:

1. Physical barriers. Make it physically difficult or impossible for people to do dangerous things — erect barriers around dangerous areas, for example, or, in the case of speeding, install electronic devices in cars that prevent you from speeding.
2. Punishment. Make something against the law, hire people to catch those who violate that law, and fine and/or imprison people who are caught.
3. Persuasion. Convince people that doing that thing is a bad idea, so they voluntarily decide to behave more wisely.

In general, which option works best? Physical barriers can be effective, although determined people always seem to find a way around them. And good luck to the first politician or car company that tries to install speeding prevention software; there will be massive public outcry. Punishment is the most common method for reducing speeding, but we all know the limitations: few people get caught, and some people don’t mind paying fines. It takes a lot of money to hire enough people to do the enforcement, and they may feel like their efforts are futile. So persuasion, if it can be accomplished, seems like the best of the three options: it doesn’t depend on foolproof technology, doesn’t require hiring a lot of enforcers, and doesn’t leave people frustrated and upset. If people are truly persuaded to voluntarily follow guidelines, then physical barriers and punishment are not needed.