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Should you ditch the car? Photo source: pixabay
They take you where you want to be, as fast as the roads allow.
They are the companion of your long commute, carrying their coffee stains and breakfast crumbs for pride.
They give you the freedom and opportunities your ancestors never have.
But even though, for every driver, the car is what makes your day possible, it has become essential to ask: should you change the way you think about your vehicle? Indeed, as road accidents statistics are not going down – not quickly enough, at least – more and more car owners are beginning to wonder if it’s time to embrace a car-free lifestyle.
It’s causing you serious health issues
Every one in 10 car crash leads to multiple deaths.
While car fatalities have dropped considerably over the past 3 decades, injuries as a result of a crash have been on the rise, leading to an increase in personal car accident claim lawyer cases. There is no denying that a collision can have dramatic consequences and change someone’s life permanently. From excruciating chronic back pain to debilitating mobility loss, the physical results of an accident can transform your lifestyle. A long-term injury or a permanent condition can force you to step down from an exciting career, or even make necessary improvement works at home to regain your independence.
It’s stressing you out
Stress affects most situations in life, from a hectic workplace environment to a family conflict. Your commuting time is not exempt from stress. On the contrary, your routine drives can lead to stressed-out reactions and aggressive behaviours. Indeed, as stress disrupts logical thinking, you can make harsh and dangerous decisions behind the steering wheel. Rush hours, roadworks, getting lost or even stuck behind a slow vehicle can all aggravate your anxiety levels. With practice, you can learn to manage the most frequent situations, but you’re never safe from your emotions on the road.
It costs too much
How much does your car really costs? Your vehicle accumulates a variety of expenses during the year, from maintenance to insurance costs. As a rule of the thumb, it costs about $8,700 a year to own a vehicle. However, it’s fair to say that the bills vary hugely depending on the kind of car you’re driving. You can expect premium brands to drive your expenses higher, for instance.
It’s affecting the planet
Last, but not least, your car creates air pollution – even if it’s a hybrid vehicle. Experts agree that car fumes are closely linked to devastating phenomena such as acid rains, global warming, and tropospheric ozone. Additionally, car manufacturers also bring additional environmental harm during the production and transportation of the vehicle – including electric cars which are associated with high pollution risks during the production phase. It’s fair to say that, in the long term, governments and environmental associations need to come to an agreement about cars. We, people, can’t live without them. But they put every life form at risk.
Should you sell your car and live a sedentary life away from the roads? Going off-grid is a viable solution to reduce the dangers of car ownership. However, in the long term, people need to improve transportation options and digital flexibility to reduce our overall car use.