Poll: Europeans Fret About Car Ownership Nuisances

Most Europeans say life would be "impossible" without cars, but 76% complain about the stress of traffic jams and high fuel prices, according to a poll sponsored by Ford Motor Co.

Three out of four respondents equate car ownership with independence. About the same proportion say they would not reduce their driving for the sake of improving the environment, even though half describe climate change as the world's biggest problem.

Among the other findings:

52% of respondents use public transit less than once per month or never

72% say fuel economy is a key factor in choosing a vehicle

50% would adopt a "greener" driving style if they understood the financial benefits of doing so

28% would consider buying a hybrid, plug-in or electric vehicle

57% say most responsibility for reducing the environmental impact of transportation lies with government

The company commissioned the survey of 6,000 Europeans in six countries by The Futures Company, a London-based consultancy, to help gauge public opinion about mobility.

Ford presented the results earlier this week at a conference in London. The company says maintaining mobility will require a collaborative and integrated approach to offset growing congestion and environmental impact.

Ford points to forecasts that the global vehicle population will surge from about 1 billion vehicles today to as many as 4 billion by 2050. The European Commission has estimated that the annual cost of traffic congestion in Europe will zoom 50% to $255 billion over the same period.