How Car Dependency Impacts People With Disabilities

The car-centric infrastructure that dominates most U.S. cities makes navigating the public realm more difficult for many groups, including people with disabilities.

As Matthew Rozsa explains in a piece on Salon, “there is a crucial difference between not driving for economic or ecological reasons — or, in extreme cases, due to legal consequences for crimes like driving while intoxicated — and not driving because your body makes the task physically impossible. In the latter scenario, being unable to drive isn't merely an inconvenience. It becomes another manifestation of a person's disability, and a particularly debilitating one at that.”

Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the nonprofit Autistic Self Advocacy Network, told Salon in an email that “not being able to drive can significantly worsen a person's life, especially if they live in an area of the country with little or no public transportation.”

People who are unable to drive, regardless of their ability, can face discrimination in employment, education, healthcare, and other important areas. Advocates say supporting people with disabilities involves building robust public transportation systems and putting a stronger focus on accessibility in infrastructure and mobility projects.