TWith giant highways, sprawling suburbs, and neglected public transportation, the United States is one of the most car-dependent countries in the world. But this mandatory driving arrangement is actively making many Americans unhappy, a new study finds.
Automobiles are firmly established as the default, and often only, mode of transportation for the majority of Americans, with more than 9 in 10 households owning at least one car, and 87% of people drive a car every day. I am using. Last year, a record 290-meter vehicle was driven on U.S. roads and highways.
But this extreme dependence on cars is impacting Americans’ quality of life, and a new study finds we’re at a tipping point where driving more leads to deeper unhappiness. As a result, although it is better for overall life satisfaction than not having a car, having to drive more than 50% of the time for activities outside the home does not reduce life satisfaction. found to be associated with decline.
“Car dependence has a threshold effect,” said lead author Rababeh Saadawi, an urban planning expert at Arizona State University. “If people have to drive, they start to report less happiness.” of research. “Extreme car dependence comes at a cost, with the disadvantages outweighing the benefits.”
This new study was conducted through a survey of a representative sample of people across the United States, and analyzed people’s responses to questions about driving habits and life satisfaction, taking into account other variables of general satisfaction. We tried to find the association between the two through a statistical model. , income, family status, race, disability, etc.
The results were “astounding,” Saadawi said, noting that the effects of driving include stress from constantly moving on roads and traffic, reduced physical activity from not walking anywhere, and reduced interaction with others. I said it could be the result of many negative effects. Increasing economic burden associated with owning and maintaining a car.
“Some people find it okay to drive frequently, but others find it too taxing,” she says. “While this study does not ask people to stop using cars completely, the solution may lie in finding a balance, as for many people driving is not their choice. , it is important to diversify your options.”
Decades of federal and state intervention have created an extensive system of highways in the United States, many of which penetrate deep into urban centers, divide communities, and disrupt neighborhoods, especially people of color. leading to traffic congestion and air pollution.
Planning policies and forced parking have encouraged suburban sprawl, stripped shopping malls of more space for cars than people, and eroded the shared “third places” where Americans congregate. There is. As a result, even very short trips outside the home require a car, with half of all car trips being less than 3 miles.
Most of the decisions to move forward will be made at the state level, but the Joe Biden administration will help rebuild public transit systems that have suffered during the coronavirus pandemic and eliminate some divisive highways. I swore that I would. But the federal government continues to spend far more money on building and expanding roads than on alternatives to driving. More than $60 billion in federal funds will be dedicated to roads and bridges next year.
A small portion of Americans actively choose to live without a car because they can live in one of America’s few remaining walkable communities, but for most people without a car, it is due to poverty or disability. It’s forced deprivation.
Anna Siverts, who was born with a neurological disorder and is unable to drive, says not having a car is expensive and can make her feel lonely. Seattle-based Giberts is the author of the book “When Driving Is Not an Option” and works on behalf of people who cannot drive.
“Seattle has a great bus system, but everyone who can afford a car owns a car. I’m the only one of my parents who goes to any event without a car. It’s all about It’s built around cars,” she said.
“We’re just locked into a driving system that’s supposed to be more fun, but it’s not. I walk five minutes to the school bus stop with my child, and other parents drive five minutes. Is this really how you want to spend your life?”
Giberts said making neighborhoods more walkable and adding more public transportation and biking options will require a long-term effort, but an immediate step is simply to consider the number of people who don’t have cars. Ta.
“We need to get the voices of people in the room who can’t drive, including the disabled, the elderly, immigrants, and the poor, because the people who make the decisions drive cars everywhere,” she said. “They don’t know what it’s like to have to ride a bus for two hours.”
