September 28

DRIVEN BY HABIT: A CULTURAL RECKONING WITH CARS

By Abbie Huang, Eileen Merrrill, Nadia Mohli, Shuchan Wang, Shukti Sood, Adharshana Thirumalai, Yasmina, Shawwa, Hamza Mirza, JJ Adesemoye, Khyati Singh, Mei Presser, Christian Speicher,

Leaving the 2023 Barbie movie, I walked away with a sense of nostalgia, societal reflection, and a favorite song—Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive”—that perfectly encapsulated my teenage years spent yearning for a car of my own. I’ve wanted a car for as long as I can remember. When I was around 4 or 5, my grandparents got my sister and me a miniature Barbie Jeep for Christmas. I drove around my neighborhood, imagining I was in Malibu myself, going to the beach with my doll friends, shopping at the mall, and visiting my friends, all with my trusty jeep. My experience with my Barbie Jeep and obsession with cars isn’t unique but rather a reflection of car culture in society. Cars are inextricably intertwined with many aspects of culture and commerce.

In pop culture, Lana Del Rey’s song “white mustang” paints a dreamy picture of what driving feels like, tying cars to romance, rebellion, and what lies beyond the open road. On the other side of the spectrum, rap music like Webbie’s “How U Ridin” uses cars as a display of wealth and success. Today, cars are symbols of freedom, individuality, and class, perhaps because North America, and to some extent the world, has built its entire society around the car. The question is, why?

The beginning of America’s obsession with cars can be traced to the early 20th century when innovations, such as Henry Ford’s assembly line, made cars more accessible to the average consumer. Despite their newfound accessibility, cars continued to be unpopular among urban residents, not only for being a pedestrian killer (especially among children), but also for being unnecessary, as their cities had been built for people. That is, until automakers began to lobby heavily for car use, gradually shifting the public narrative. 

Car manufacturers, such as General Motors (GM), created advertisements that displayed cars as a symbol of progress. According to Vox, “Auto campaigners lobbied police to publicly shame transgressors by whistling or shouting at them — and even carrying women back to the sidewalk” — instead of quietly reprimanding or fining them. Vox furthers, showcasing an advertisement predicated on violence, “In a 1924 New York safety campaign, a clown [a paid actor] was marched in front of a slow-moving Model T and rammed repeatedly”.1 This strategy of stigmatising pedestrians is where we get the term jaywalking, which dates back to when “jay” referred to someone like a “rube” or “hick,” indicating a person from the countryside who didn’t know how to behave in a city and thus transferring blame for accidents to individuals rather than vehicles.

The post-World War era secured America’s car-centric future, backed by other automakers’ efforts to dismantle public transit. GM acquired streetcar companies, replaced them with bus lines, and marketed highways as the future of transportation. This was a probl

em as bus lines were not as reliable as streetcars. With the array of advertisements pushed out by car companies, buses were now competing with cars for the road, furthering delays, and ultimately, more and more people began to use cars. The government was no help either; with federal investments like the 1956 Interstate Highway Act, cars were now prioritized for road infrastructure over railroads. 

The rise of cars as a part of the American dream reflects their practicality and the narrative woven around them. As a result, by the mid-twentieth century, cars were more than just vehicles; they were also a form of cultural currency. As policy and infrastructure shifted to pave the way for suburban development, more and more people began to feel that cars were a necessity – a vehicle for social progress just as much as for transportation. Historically, advertisements reaffirmed that. Pictured aside is an ad by Studebaker (1920), 2 where a group of women can be seen looking at a country club while driving. This did more than promote the new car; it tied socioeconomic status to the idea of a vehicle. The allure of a country club, the high-quality clothing and accessories of the women, and the grandiosity of it all made owning a car a symbol of wealth, not just a tool. This rhetoric continues through today, manifesting itself in popular culture and daily life.

With an increased reliance on cars in our everyday lives, people seem to have built a tolerance for the shortcomings of vehicles as well. 40,000 people die in car crashes every year in the U.S, with upwards of 3.3 million being seriously injured, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.3 However, when looking at US car culture, there seems to be a distinct lack of alarm for these incidents. Statistically, more than 25 million adults have a fear of flying,4 despite the risk being macroscopically low; yet the American attitude towards planes is much harsher. Fundamentally, the plane-car problem shows the extent to which the normalization of cars and their risks has grown, the very thing that 20th-century advertisers fought for. 

 Another unseen factor of cars is the problem of isolationism. Car usage was intended to foster productivity, yet it has evolved to provide a convenience that hinders connectivity. For one, the rise of suburbanization as a result of cars has reduced social interactions in our own neighborhood spaces: Public health researcher Mateusz Borowiecki explains that “spontaneous interactions” have decreased with this age of unwalkability, where we only see glimpses of our neighbors stepping in or out of their cars.5 The designs of these sprawling neighborhoods, where long stretches of road isolate homes, have also changed the method of transportation to informal social hubs. “Touch and go” fast-food restaurants have made the once-intimate, walkable local stores and cafés that formed the heart of communities obsolete. Constantly rushing with reduced attention spans and patience, many have come to regard libraries, parks, and other notable third places where people had typically gathered as old-fashioned, boring, and time-consuming. Car culture is more than just cars: It’s about our attitude towards them. Society has created a culture that prioritizes efficiency and convenience, even if going the fastest isn’t the best option. It challenges our ability to connect with others or build experiences. The physical separation that accompanies the other negatives of car-centricity has left communities fragmented. As Sheffield-based Guardian Editor Isabella Stone observed, “One 88-year-old resident I chatted to at a community event confirmed this impression. When I asked why she didn’t know as many people in the street as she had in the past, she gave a one-word answer: ‘Cars.’” 6

With over 280 million vehicles in the U.S.7, and 92% of households owning at least one, relying on cars feels inevitable.

Economically, their impact is massive. The auto industry generates over $1 trillion annually and supports over 2.8 million jobs.8 A single car fuels trade, manufacturing, insurance, and mobility. It’s clear that cars are more than a luxury; they’re a core part of how our systems function.

But at what cost?

Distracted driving alone costs the U.S. $98.2 billion in 20199. Beyond financial losses, car dependency also carries environmental and social consequences. While cars offer undeniable benefits, our attachment to them is also shaped by infrastructure and an economy built around them.

Perhaps the solution isn’t about eliminating cars, but about shifting our perspective on them. 

When Michael Kavate’s car needed repairs, he had to navigate the Bay Area suburbs without a car. He first walked and used the train to reach his office in a nearby city, before trying biking. Being closer to nature made him happier, and public transport allowed him to read. Kavate explained his commute as a “walking meditation” and found that “biking feels like playtime” because he was less isolated. It allowed him to save money while feeling more energetic and lean with increased physical activity. Though he also faced many of the anticipated difficulties, such as discomfort during the hot summers and rainy seasons, his own reflection reveals a number of unanticipated advantages. He points out that a job, no kids, bike-friendly policies, and stable income made it easier for him to go car-free. Moreover, he’s able to rely on his wife’s car to go further distances, and he lives in an area with ridesharing (Uber) or taxis. This puts him in a position with choices other people may not have.  Kavate’s story highlights the advantages of commuting without a car and allows us to reflect on the different circumstances that can more easily accommodate alternative transportation options.  Oftentimes, cars are painted as the most socially accepted means of transport and the most beneficial to us personally, but perhaps the reality is different.10

It might seem difficult to perceive this choice as a preference, especially for a family, but such is the case for the Hopkins family living near Totnes, England. The family has kids and parents commuting to Totnes for school and work. Living car-free was a transition that took time to figure out; they started by trying to get through one week without a car and continued to see if another week was possible. As they commuted, one parent mentioned how biking allowed them to feel more connected to the world, giving them time to think. They also had to become more organized,  planning thoroughly to accommodate travelling further or transporting heavier items. Some immediate benefits they noticed included saving money and avoiding lengthy processes, such as insurance and tax renewals. At the same time, it wasn’t an easy decision. One concern was that children could miss out on socializing or visiting places after school. Part of addressing that challenge involved the kids learning to communicate with the parents about where they were and arranging transportation ahead of time. When they needed to pick up or drop off household items that were difficult to carry by bike, the family coordinated with friends who own cars. Choosing to live without a car has meant learning to think ahead and stay organised, especially for errands and longer trips. But for this family, the shift isn’t about rejecting cars entirely; it’s about recognising the value in alternative modes of transport. Besides the traditional environmental and economic benefits, these alternatives can provide health and social gains which are much more aligned with our personal needs. While going car-free might not be feasible all the time, when it is, it can lead to more sustainable, connected, and thoughtful ways of living – surprising benefits worth considering.11

Maybe the most powerful shift isn’t the car itself, but our mindset around needing one.

Ultimately, understanding cars is contextualizing them. We look not to damn cars, as we recognize their value, but to question the systems that make life without them feel impossible. By making us increasingly dependent, cars can lull us into comfort while quietly reducing our independence, limiting our opportunities to socialise and connect with others.. As we look towards the future, it’s worth examining all systems that perpetuate solo car travel. Our current economic system prioritizes expansion and efficiency, driven by our reliance on cars,  which makes it difficult to imagine alternatives-yet they do exist.. Small personal shifts, such as carpooling or using public transportation, can reduce car dependency while also connecting you to your community. Supporting walkable urban planning developments or even attending a local city council meeting can make you more aware of the alternatives available and inspire you to push for change. These actions don’t have to be grand gestures; they just have to start from somewhere.  Recognize that, despite their convenience, cars are just another form of transportation. 

Ultimately, the greatest problem with cars is not what they are, but what we make them to be. As long as we, as individuals and as a society, continue to place these solitary vehicles on a pedestal, we lose something important: the very connection cars sought to foster. So, how is the public transportation near you? Do you have people you can carpool with? Is it walkable? Today, could you talk to the person you stand next to for just a minute? 

Therein that small bud of connection lies a world of solutions.

 

Works Cited

1. Stromberg, Joseph. “The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of ‘jaywalking.’ Vox, 15 January 2015, https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history. Accessed 30 August 2025.
2. Branham, Christina. “AUTO ADVERTISING IN 1920.” My History Fix, 7 July 2016, https://myhistoryfix.com/transportation/auto-advertising-1920/. Accessed 30 August 2025.
3. “FastStats – Accidents or Unintentional Injuries.” CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/accidental-injury.htm. Accessed 30 August 2025. 
4. Aerophobia (Fear of Flying): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22431-aerophobia-fear-of-flying. Accessed 30 August 2025.
5. Vox, 25 August 2022, https://www.vox.com/features/23191527/urban-planning-friendship-houston-cars-loneline.

             (Accessed 30 August 2025)

6. Stone, Isabella. “Cars are fuelling our isolation from strangers.” The Guardian, Guardian Media Group, 16 July 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/16/cars-are-fuelling-our-isolation-from-strangers.
7. Carlier, Mathilde. “U.S. vehicle fleet 2023.” Statista, 16 July 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/183505/number-of-vehicles-in-the-united-states-since-1990/. Accessed 30 August 2025. 
8. Akhtar, Muizz. “Urban planning, car-centric culture, and the great undoing of American friendship.” Carlier, Mathilde. “Automotive industry in the United States – statistics & facts.” Statista, 18 December 2023, https://www.statista.com/topics/1721/us-automotive-industry/#topicOverview. Accessed 30 August 2025.
9. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted driving 2019. DOT HS 813 111 ed., National Center for Statistics and Analysis, April 2021.
10. Kavate, Michael. “I went car-free in the suburbs when my vehicle needed repairs. I’m happier and healthier, and wish I did it sooner.” Business Insider, Axel Springer, 12 March 2024, https://www.businessinsider.com/car-free-in-the-suburbs-happier-healthier-2024-3.
11. Hopkins, Rob. “Five Months and Counting…. the realities of giving up driving.” Transition Culture, 7 January 2009, https://www.transitionculture.org/2009/01/07/five-months-and-counting-the-realities-of-giving-up-driving/#:~:text=I%20often%20liken%20breaking%20our,giving%20up%20drinking%20or%20smoking.