This is surely one of the signs of the apocalypse: Americans aren't driving as much as they used to. The downward trend last year was stark.
Perhaps the only good thing about losing your job is that you no longer have to endure the drive to work.
The exceptionally sluggish pace of new-vehicle sales in the face of extremely attractive incentives being offered by the automakers might imply that Americans are considering making more-permanent adjustments to their lifestyles.