In most United States cities, a car is a prerequisite to the ability to thrive. This is an aspect of our society that has gone unquestioned for generations. In addition to cars being a necessity, they are a status symbol and a second home for many of us. The type of car you drive indicates whether you are masculine, wealthy or neither, and we spend so much time in our cars that they start to feel like a sacred and private space. Cars can even indicate political preferences, as some people draw an inherent link between pickup trucks and the Republican party. We have romanticized cars so much that getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage that most people are expected to undertake, akin to getting married or having a baby. The invention of motels, drive-in movie theaters and drive-throughs are all results of this romanticization, as is the popularity of sports such as NASCAR and Formula 1 and movie franchises such as “Fast and Furious” and “Mad Max.”

America’s love affair with the automobile began largely in the 1920s, as the Ford Motor Company made the car accessible to the average, working-class white American. From that point forward, our infrastructure has been focused on moving as many cars as possible in the shortest amount of time. The result is cities that are focused on speed, not human health or safety, and cars, rather than public transportation, micromobility or pedestrians. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, which planned the interstate highway system, routed some highways directly through Black neighborhoods and took homes by eminent domain in some cases. This left a deep scar on these neighborhoods that has yet to be reckoned with. Mass transit, which includes things like protected bike lanes, wide sidewalks, bus lanes and railroads, are less common in the United States than in similarly developed nations. As a result, most Americans have no choice but to own and drive a car. In order to rebuild America’s crumbling infrastructure in a manner that is environmentally friendly, healthy and economical, we must give up our overreliance on the automobile and demand better alternatives in the form of reliable, green and rapid public transportation.

Cars are expensive. Car owners need to pay not only for the car itself, but also for insurance, maintenance and repairs. In 2017, the average cost of transportation in the United States was $9,576 per year to own and operate, and the average auto repair costs between $500 and $600. One-third of motorists would need to go into debt to pay that amount.

Apart from the exorbitant price of owning an automobile, drivers must risk their safety in order to get where they need to go. In 2019, over 36,000 Americans died in motor vehicle crashes. Unintentional accidents are responsible for 45 percent of all deaths in people ages 20 to 24. Drivers also pose a huge risk to pedestrians and cyclists. In 2017, almost 6,000 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes, as well as over 800 cyclists in 2019. In addition to the physical endangerment of people, automobiles are a threat to the environment. Cars and trucks are responsible for nearly one-fifth of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide can exacerbate the symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, and air pollution leads to nearly 200,000 premature deaths in the United States every year. Electric cars will help mitigate this issue significantly, however they still pose a threat to the environment since the batteries require lithium, whose mining often has negative environmental effects. Furthermore, electric cars may not be accessible to most Americans for years, and when they are, many people may choose to use their current car until it breaks down beyond repair rather than buy a new car as soon as it is available.

Cars are often marketed as symbols of freedom, and Americans have been lured into believing that they are. Forty-five percent of Americans do not have access to public transportation. Freedom means choice, and Americans should be able to choose how they want to get around rather than be stuck with driving as the only option. Freedom also means the right to breathe air not plagued by carbon dioxide emissions, and to walk or bike without fear of being hit by a vehicle. Low-income people are burdened the most by this lack of freedom. For example, the scope of license-based legal penalties has grown within the past couple years. Due to this, in many places, people can have their licenses suspended for offenses unrelated to driving, such as failure to pay court fees. With no other options, those unable to pay are left to risk arrest by driving without a license or have no way to get to work. Of those with access to transportation, many choose not to take it because it is low-quality, doesn’t run on time or doesn’t run when they need it to. It may be possible for them to walk or bike, but they should not have to put themselves at considerable risk to avoid driving. If the United States manages to reduce car dependence to a reasonable level, the results will benefit not only people who choose transit, but also those who still may choose to drive. Fewer cars on the road will mean less congestion and less traffic. Traffic is not only inconvenient, but since idling vehicles still burn gas, it is expensive and causes more pollutants to be thrown into the atmosphere than otherwise would have.

Cars appear to be convenient, but only when comparing our experience with driving to our experience with taking public transportation. The problem with this is that we are not comparing driving to quality public transit, we are comparing it to American public transit, which often does not run on time, has long waiting times and is slow. Given this dichotomy, for most Americans, driving is in fact more convenient. But, when compared to quality rapid transit, cars do not hold a candle in terms of convenience. Those in places that are not dependent on cars have less traffic and better economic mobility. Additionally, people unable to drive, such as the blind, children and epileptics, do not need to rely on someone else owning a car for them to get around. Finding a place to park your car is a time-consuming activity that most people would rather not do. In addition, the average American spends the equivalent of nearly one full-time workweek commuting to work per year. The trip could be dramatically shortened if taken on quality transit, or if traffic were to decrease. In addition, when people take public transportation, they have more free time since they don’t need to stare at a road for an hour.

The state of infrastructure in America may seem bleak, but the Biden administration has recently unveiled a plan that includes $571 billion in funds for public transportation. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg pledged to dismantle racist freeways and increase the development of quality transit. These changes are necessary in order to move away from car dependency and toward a system that values public transportation, cyclists and pedestrians as much as, or more than, we value cars. It’s past time for the United States to catch up to the rest of the developed world in providing access to safe, affordable and convenient alternatives to driving.

Deana Ridenhour is a freshman majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law.