‘Week Without Driving’ Highlights Needs of Non-Drivers

In a piece in Streetsblog USA, Anna Zivarts explains the impact of Week Without Driving, a grassroots effort that has grown into an annual challenge hosted by over five hundred organizations around the country.

This year the Week Without Driving will take place Sept. 29-Oct. 5 with walk audits, transit ride-alongs and community forums where nondrivers can share their daily experiences of transportation access with elected leaders and transportation agency leadership.

The event is meant to encourage public officials to experience their local public transit and understand the day-to-day experiences of transit riders. Unlike other car-free events, Zivarts writes, “Week Without Driving comes from our campaign to have those in charge of our transportation networks and investment priorities understand the needs of nondrivers in their communities — in particular involuntary nondrivers who can’t drive or can’t afford to drive.”

For Zivarts, the event is not just about celebrating car-free modes — it’s about helping elected officials understand the needs of people with disabilities, elderly people, and others who can’t drive on a daily basis and ensuring that they have access to transportation options that don’t limit their mobility. “In asking participants to reflect on what it means to get around their communities without driving themselves, we are asking them to help us tell the story of nondriver mobility, a story that is too often overlooked, leaving too many of us stuck at home, unable to fully access and participate.”