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Car culture fundamentally defines how Americans live, work, and interact with their communities. With 92% of American households owning at least one car (Valentine), automobiles are the backbone of American lifestyle and identity.
Owning a car can create a significant financial burden in the form of fuel, monthly car payments and insurance, and maintenance. Nonetheless, it is difficult for many Americans to imagine not having a car. Without a car, a typical 15-minute suburban trip becomes a 2.5-hour journey by walking or public transit, making car ownership practically mandatory for most Americans. In addition, Approximately 78% of workers drive alone to work (Schaeffer) and spend an average 60 minutes commuting to jobs that are an average of 30 miles away.
Drive-through culture also exemplifies this car-centric lifestyle. Drive-through restaurants recovered much faster during COVID-19, with visits only 4% down compared to 48% down for non-drive-through establishments (Mishram, Chopra, and Stamatopoulos). Americans also embrace road trips as a cultural tradition, with 75% planning road trips each summer (Summer Travel Survey) and 80% taking road trips in 2022 (AutoNation).
Suburban Living Patterns and Car Dependence
Suburban living patterns reinforce car dependence. Fifty-two percent of Americans live in suburban areas specifically designed around car ownership. This suburban growth, which nearly doubled to 74 million residents between 1950-1970, created communities where cars are essential for accessing jobs, schools, shopping, and social activities.
Most population growth in recent years has occurred in auto-oriented suburbs and exurbs (NewGeography). On average, rural residents drive about 10 more miles per day than those in cities, while suburban residents drive 3–4 more miles daily than urban dwellers (Fact #759). In sum, most Americans live in communities where car ownership is more than an optional luxury. It is a necessity for basic daily functioning.
Cars as Symbols of Identity
Beyond transportation, cars function as status symbols and expressions of personal identity. The United States has one of the world’s highest car ownership rates (Who Owns the Most) with approximately 860 motor vehicles per 1,000 people. The car Americans drive signal wealth and success (i.e., driving luxury cars, large SUVs, high-end sports cars), rugged individualism (i.e., driving pickup trucks, off-road SUVs or all-terrain vehicles), or lower status (i.e., driving sedans, minivans, aging vehicles).
Essentially, cars embody core American values of independence, freedom, and individual achievement. As a result, not being able to afford a luxury car or rugged vehicle can feel to many Americans like a personal failure. It may feel like a reminder that they are somehow falling short (Klochikhin). In many parts of the U.S., especially outside urban centers, a car is not only transportation but also part of one’s identity.
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Works Cited
“Fact #759: December 24, 2012 Rural vs. Urban Driving Differences.” U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office, 24 Dec. 2012, www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-759-december-24-2012-rural-vs-urban-driving-differences
Klochikhin, Eugene. "A Car is Not (Just) A Car: How We Define Ourselves Through Car Ownership." Medium, @eklochikhin, 13 September 2018, medium.com/@eklochikhin/a-car-is-not-just-a-car-how-we-define-ourselves-through-car-ownership-b7d1bac751ae
Kolko, Jed, et al. “Population Growth Concentrated in Auto Oriented Suburbs and Metropolitan Areas.” NewGeography.com, 2022, www.newgeography.com/content/006527-population-growth-concentrated-auto-oriented-suburbs-and-metropolitan-areas
Mishra, Partha Sarathi, Sunil Chopra, and Ioannis Stamatopoulos. Fast‑food stores with a drive‑through recovered post‑pandemic; Stores without did not. SSRN, 11 Apr. 2024, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4790752
Schaeffer, Katherine. “1 in 10 Americans Rarely or Never Drive a Car.” Pew Research Center: Short Reads, 14 Nov. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/14/1-in-10-americans-rarely-or-never-drive-a-car/sr_24-11-14_nondrivers_2/
“Summer Road Trips Are a Great American Tradition According to an AutoNation Survey.” Business Wire, 6 June 2022, investors.autonation.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2022/Summer-Road-Trips-Are-a-Great-American-Tradition-According-to-an-AutoNation-Survey/default.aspx
“Summer Travel Survey 2024 – Over 75% of American Adults Intend to Take a Road Trip This Summer.” The Vacationer, May 2024, https://thevacationer.com/summer-travel-survey-2024/
Valentine, Ashlee. “Car Ownership Statistics 2025.” Forbes Advisor, Jan. 2025, www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/car-ownership-statistics/
"Who Owns the Most Vehicles per Capita, by Country?" Visual Capitalist, 21 Feb. 2024, www.visualcapitalist.com/vehicles-per-capita-by-country/
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