“A Week Without Driving” is an event created by the Disability Mobility Initiative, which is a Disability Rights Washington Project. The purpose was to demonstrate how difficult and inaccessible life is for non-drivers. Society in Washington in many ways revolves around being able to drive and is not accessible for the many people with disabilities who do not drive.
To understand what it was like for people who do not or cannot drive, over 100 elected officials pledged not to drive for a week. This initiative opened so many eyes to what it is like to be an adult who does not drive. Regardless of ability, we all need to get from place to place, and a lack of public transportation makes it difficult for so many people to get around.
Although places like Seattle have a strong public transportation system, more rural areas have limited buses. This means that so many people in these rural areas are not able easily go to the supermarket or doctor appointments without a car.
The 100 people who took part in a “Week Without Driving” all found life without a car inconvenient. Hopefully this experience will help people understand the importance of having more accessibility in transportation.