Motonormativity

 Sometimes, you need a name for something before you can see it. But, once you see it, you can't unsee it. 

I first heard of Motonormativity from this 2023 paper: Motonormativity: how social norms hide a major public health hazard. 

Lead author Professor Ian Walker recently gave a lunchtime talk to Streets For All and I highly recommend watching the video and reading the paper. 

There is a pervasive view that "everybody drives in LA", but that's just not true. About 1/3 of the population cannot drive because they don't have drivers licenses. They are too old, too young, too disabled, too poor, or just never bothered to get licenses for myriad reasons. Even if they do drive and own a car, they are burdened by high car ownership costs that can sometimes push them into homelessness. 

You have only to look at the different ways that the law treats people who kill with a car vs with another weapon. As long as you are not driving while impaired, were not speeding, and stayed at the scene, charges aren't even filed when a driver kills a pedestrian. 

Even when charges are filed, judges are very lenient. A driver who ran over a family in a crosswalk, killing the 4 year old and gravely injuring the father, was sentenced to 400 hours of community service. 

We also think nothing of speeding in school zones even though we wouldn't smoke around children. According to CDC statistics, cars are the leading killer of children in the US. Yet, we don't have any public health response to this crisis. 

Car culture is us, and we can change our culture and laws. 

Wales, where Prof Walker teaches, lowered their speed limit in urban areas to 20 mph. Collisions, injuries and deaths plunged. Because car insurance is based on loss claims, Welsh car insurance rates plummeted. Slowing down is good for everyone's safety and pocketbooks.