Drive Alone to Work in West Virginia

West Virginia

Commuting is a daily necessity for many people and driving alone is by far the most common mode of transportation to work. There are environmental and individual health concerns associated with driving: driving alone to work involves extended periods of social isolation and physical inactivity, and more motor vehicles on the road means more air pollution, noise pollution and transportation congestion. Congestion, a common occurrence in large cities, creates concentrated areas of air and noise pollution, which disproportionately affect those with lower socioeconomic status. Commutes greater than 15 miles can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, obesity and physical inactivity.

After housing expenses, vehicle maintenance (including purchasing, upkeep, and operation) represents the second-largest expenditure for households. By utilizing public transportation and reducing the number of owned vehicles by one, a household can save $13,000. Additionally, switching from driving alone to public transportation can reduce an individual's CO2 emissions by 20 pounds per day, more than 48,000 pounds per year.

According to America’s Health Rankings data, the prevalence of driving alone to work is higher among males compared with females. Other populations that spend more time driving alone to work include:

• White workers compared with Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian workers.
• Workers ages 25 to 44.
• Workers born in the U.S. compared with those who are foreign-born.
• Workers with an income at or above 150% of the poverty level compared with workers with lower incomes.

Strategies to promote modes of transportation other than driving, particularly driving alone, include:

• Increasing flexibility to work from home.
• City planning to balance out the geographic distribution of places of employment.
• Building pedestrian- and cycling-friendly infrastructure.
• Increasing access and reducing the distance to public transportation.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to transportation, including:

• Increasing the trips to work made by mass transit. 
• Increasing the proportion of adults who walk or bike to get places.

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Hoehner, Christine M., Carolyn E. Barlow, Peg Allen, and Mario Schootman. “Commuting Distance, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Metabolic Risk.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 42, no. 6 (June 2012): 571–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.02.020.

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