$4 per gallon gas has an upside

NEW YORK, June 16 (UPI) -- Record gasoline prices are slowing the U.S. economy, pinching consumers and businesses alike but they also have an upside, social observers said.

Gains can be found in increased use of mass transit, healthier citizens, fewer traffic accidents, shorter commutes and an increased focus on biofuels, Foreign Policy magazine reported online.

Use of mass transit gained by 85 million more trips in the first quarter of 2008 compared with 2007, the American Public Transportation Association reported recently. And bicycle sales are skyrocketing, a quick step toward increased exercise, the magazine reported.

Researcher Charles Courtemanche of Washington University in St. Louis tied the price of gas to obesity, claiming a $1 rise in gas prices would lead to a 16 percent reduction in obesity after seven years.

Safety officials are also reporting fewer fatalities on the road, attributed to slower driving speeds, Foreign Policy said.

The average drive to work has declined by more than 5 minutes in Southern California, because many are switching to jobs closer to their homes, leaving more room on freeways, the report said.

Finally, the biofuel supply nearly tripled from 2000 to 2007, leaving the United States less dependent on imported oil, the report said.