Limiting Car Usage

The number of positive connotations that limiting car usage around the world would have on society is infinite. It would lower congestion, promote more healthy and efficient means of travel, and it would reduce emissions by a very large factor. People around the world are turning towards methods of transportation that do not monopolize on the automobile. Maybe one day cars will be passé?

According to a study in Paris, congestion was down 60 percent in the capital of France after prohibiting driving for a few days, and fining those who disregarded the experiment. Less congestion led to less road noise, which, in turn, made people "happier." It created a safer environment for children and parents alike. Having fewer cars on the road encouraged people to go outside whenever they could. Citizens of Vauban, a city in Germany, are taking this newfound peacefulness to an extreme. Driving is forbidden in their city and there are not any available parking spaces in the event that they still own a car! Vauban is an example of a city that was built based on "smart planning." More communities are adopting this ideal and try to have everything located within walking distance of a person's home. This encourages people to get to where they need to go without the use of an automobile. People nowadays also have the technology to communicate with others electronically, so that reduces the need for an automobile to get from point A to point B. Why waste the time and money on gas to communicate with someone when you could send them an email or text for a low cost in a matter of seconds?

This being said, limiting car usage promotes public transportation services. In Bogota, 118 miles worth of bicycle paths have been built in an effort to steer people away from automobiles. This encourages people to get from place to place via a healthy and fun means of transport. Undoubtedly, people are more likely to stay close to home without the accessibility of cars, so limiting the use of cars saves the time that would be spent on the roads.

Limiting car usage has major benefits when it comes to carbon emissions and environmental problems. President Obama has wanted to curb the United States' emissions and so far his goal is a success. Americans are buying fewer cars, driving less, and getting fewer licenses as each year goes by. Smog has been severely reduced in countries around the globe since plans to limit car usage have gone into effect.

Limiting car usage might seem like something that "would be good in theory," and it will definitely be a hard thing for today's generation to wrap their head around, but the positive impacts it would have on society are limitless. Congestion and emissions would be reduced, time spent commuting would be saved, and the world would be a much safer place to live in overall. Limiting car usage everywhere is definitely something to think about.