Most societies pay for roads through fuel tax or vehicle registration, which means infrequent road users can end up paying almost as much as a heavy user. In the Netherlands the government recently tested a plan to charge road users on a per-kilometre basis; 70 per cent of drivers changed their behaviour as a result. UK insurance company Norwich Union, meanwhile, ran a test whereby vehicles were fitted with technology so that insurance could be charged according to road use and even driving style. The scheme proved too expensive to administer, but accident claims fell by 30 per cent during the trial. Time to get on your bike?
Source: Scientific American
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