The Week Without Driving challenge encourages all to not drive for a week and consider how our roads often do not accommodate for nondrivers.
September 30 to October 6, 2024 marks the second year of the national Week Without Driving! Organized by America Walks and Disability Rights Washington, Week Without Driving challenges all who drive cars regularly — including elected officials, public officials, transportation professionals, organizations, advocates, and individuals — to use alternate forms of transportation and understand the challenges that nondrivers often face in their communities.
Week Without Driving was created in 2021 by Anna Zivarts, a low-vision parent, nondriver, and director of the Disability Mobility Initiative Program to encourage policymakers, elected leaders, and transportation professionals to not use their cars and better understand the barriers that their nondriving constituents encounter in their daily commute. In 2023, the Week Without Driving challenge was expanded nationally and included over 142 organizations across 42 states and the District of Columbia.
"If you can drive or afford a car, you may not understand what it’s like to rely on walking, rolling, transit and asking for rides," the Week Without Driving website states. "But for nearly a third of people living in the United States — people with disabilities, young people, seniors and people who can’t afford cars or gas — this is our every day.”
"We created the Week Without Driving challenge so that those who have the option to drive can learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that nondrivers face and work with nondrivers to create more accessible communities for all."
The Week Without Driving website provides the following guidelines:
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Every Trip Counts: You can get around however you want, but the challenge is not to drive yourself in any car. This applies to all your activities — not just your work commute. If you normally transport other family members or friends, it applies to those trips too.
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Asking or Paying for Rides: You can ask someone else to drive you, but make a note of how much you “owe” this person in their time, and if you felt obligated to support them in other ways (ie, doing all the dishes). You can ride hail or taxis if they exist where you need to go, but again, think about how the cost could impact your decision to take this trip if this was regularly your only option.
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Who Has Choices, What Are Your Choices?: This isn’t a disability simulation or a test of how easily you can find alternatives. We know that it is far easier to give up your keys if you can afford to live in a walkable area well served by transit, or can outsource your driving and other transport and delivery needs to other people.
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It’s Okay to Drive – But Reflect What That Means for Nondrivers: Having to drive during the challenge does not signify failure. Sometimes the best reflection comes when someone participating in the challenge has to drive. The point is to consider how someone without that option would have coped, and what choices they might have made.
When creating active transportation projects, it's imperative they are accessible to everyone, especially community members who are disabled. Visit our Accessible Infrastructure webpage for resources, best practices, and tools for learning how to create projects that serve everyone in the community.