Having to use a car for at least 50% of your trip may not sit well with you
- One study found that heavy reliance on a car can lead to lower life satisfaction.
- The tipping point is around 50%, but car use increases satisfaction at lower levels.
- The researchers say the findings should encourage planners and policymakers to help reduce reliance on vehicles.
The United States is a large, diverse country made up of small towns, large cities, and rural farms. Depending on where you live, how much you rely on your car can vary greatly.
While city dwellers can quickly leave their apartment and walk to a nearby store, people living outside of metropolitan areas may be miles away from the nearest gas station or grocery store. This could affect your quality of life, as a new study finds that those who rely heavily on their cars are less satisfied.
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The study, which focused on adults living in cities and suburbs, found “a threshold effect of car dependence on life satisfaction.” The abstract goes on to state, “Beyond a certain point, increased car dependence leads to decreased satisfaction with life.”
The tipping point is about the middle, as those who rely on their cars for outdoor activities more than 50% of the time experience a decrease in life satisfaction. However, sometimes a car can increase satisfaction.
According to The Guardian , lead author Rababe Saadaoui said: “Using a car sometimes increases life satisfaction, but if you drive more than that, people start to report a decrease in happiness. ” She added, “There are costs to being extremely dependent on cars, and it may even do more harm than good. ”
Unfortunately, the easiest solution is to move. However, the study calls on planners and policymakers to promote “multimodal and land-use patterns that may help reduce car dependence and its potential negative impact on subjective well-being.”
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