Health Issues

The transportation decisions that are made on a daily basis determine far more than how quickly one may get from point A to point B; they can have social, environmental, and physical consequences that collectively influence the overall health of both individuals and communities. The health impact associated with an ever-increasing number of people traveling by automobile and a concomitant increase in annual vehicle miles traveled has reached epic proportions. Growing evidence is revealing the myriad adverse health consequences arising from such an auto-dominant landscape. Ranging from mild to severe, and even to death, the consequences of transportation decisions can impact both the individual as well as the collective. Furthermore, while the physical health of an individual is most closely associated with transportation choices one makes, there are potentially serious social and psychological repercussions as well. Though driving a personal automobile affords privacy and individual freedom, this transportation choice impacts not only the decision maker but a host of other individuals as well. Perhaps most obvious is the growing obesity epidemic, which stands as the fastest growing public health problem in the United States.