good gas prices/edit

From CNN: 

See? We should be happy for the rising gas prices. It's actually a GOOD thing - fewer traffic deaths! Just imagine how many lives would be saved if we had $10 per gallon gas!!

EDIT: Aww shoot - I can't get the screen capture!!  

No such luck with the capture, but here's some transcript. Not only are less people going to die in traffic accidents, more of us will be walking and biking and we'll be less fat!! We can pay more of what we don't have (money) to the state for road improvements!! And there's going to be less pollution!

Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Yipee!!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Gas prices are now at a national average of $3.79 a gallon according to AAA, approaching an all-time high. Well, no one likes to pay more at the pump. But, believe it or not, some say there are benefits to paying high gas prices. Stephanie Elam joins us now from New York.

Stephanie, is there really a silver lining here for high gas prices? I don't believe it.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You may have to look really, really hard and get out your magnifying glass, Randi, and see if you can really see it, but there could be one. And it's not just the obvious one. I was like, I know everyone's going to say fuel efficient cars or oil companies.

But let's start with state budgets, because we know they're facing huge deficits and we know many of them are in dire straits and we're talking about a collective shortfall of $112 billion for fiscal 2012. But a handful of states stand to benefit from higher gas prices because they fully or partially apply general sales tax to gasoline. So the more it costs, the more money they take in. And those higher revenues, well, they can benefit residents in the form of better roads and other state services.

Now, another silver lining here, believe it or not, there are actually fewer traffic fatalities. Think about it, people are driving less. That means fewer accidents and fewer deaths. A study by the University of Alabama and Harvard's Medical School arrived at this conclusion. Listen to this. For every 10 percent increase in gas prices, driving fatalities are reduced by 2.3 percent.

And, actually, that's not the only health benefit of higher gas prices. An economics professor at the University of Carolina says paying more at the pump can actually lower obesity. And the theory here is that if you're driving less, you might walk more or bike more. And if you're paying more for gas, you can't afford to eat out as often as you may like. So according to this professor's study, a permanent $1 increase in gasoline prices will reduce obesity in this country by as much as 10 percent.

Now, of course, there's also the environment, which stands to gain, too. Less driving equals less pollution. But, honestly, Randi, I mean, seriously, none of this is going to make anyone feel better about paying more at the pump and it could have a big impact on your wallet and the economy. Nevertheless, perhaps the next time you head to the pump, especially down there in Georgia where there's a lot of driving going on, maybe you'll think of these silver linings and feel a little bit better about what you're paying.

KAYE: Yes, and I think, you know, I think about my heart and the stress that it causes my heart when I'm in traffic. So maybe if we all drive a little less because of those high gas prices, we'll all be a little bit healthier, right?

ELAM: Yes, well that's the idea behind it. I mean even if you just did it one day a week, I'm sure it would help out a lot of people emotionally as well so they're not --

KAYE: Oh, yes.

ELAM: You know, cussing at the bad driver next to them.

KAYE: All right, Stephanie, I think you did convince me. You found that silver lining. Thank you. Appreciate it.

ELAM: Yes! Sure.

KAYE: Well done, my friend.

Be sure to join Christine Romans for "Your Bottom Line" each Saturday morning at 9:30 Eastern. And don't miss "Your Money" with Ali Velshi Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and Sundays at 3:00.