DEPENDENCY ON MOTOR VEHICLES

DEPENDENCY ON MOTOR VEHICLES

Darvesh Karim

Assistant Instructor

Professional Development Center, North

University Road, Konodass, Gilgit.

Ph. No: (+92) 05811-454132-4 Ext: 3017

Fax No: (+92) 05811-454135

Cell No: (+92) 03465419307

Email (Official): darveshkarim@pdcn.edu.pk

Email (Private): dk_hunzai@yahoo.com, darvesh.karim@gmail.com

Online Blogs: www.dkhunza.blogspot.com; www.scribd.com/dk_hunzai

Because of rapidly increasing number of motor vehicles yearly, world is facing major challenges of environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, and congested traffic problems (Source 1). According to a survey, dependency on motor vehicles have very much increased, ultimately affecting ‘travel on foot’ which was only 10% in 2000, while 37% was recorded in 1960 (source 2). According to this survey result  we can easily interpret that dependency on motor vehicles have rapidly increased in the urban areas and cities like Moscow and Mexico which are now over polluted resulting major health hazards (Source 2).

On the other hand because of the invention of these motor vehicles, we can easily transport goods and have faster transport facilities, so we cannot revert back to the olden horse driven-wagon transportation. Therefore, in US more land has been assigned for vehicles and less for housing.  So, life without a car has become impossible, but these vehicles have also killed or injured millions of people. A study also indicates that car transport is seven times costly than train travel in terms of the external social costs.

Keeping all these problems and facts in mind, two types of solutions have been suggested.

1.      A Technical Solution: By reducing the size and fuel efficiency of cars and their engines, but it is purely dependent on the customers’ choice as many people love to drive long cars.

2.      Re-designing Cities: It is obvious that people travel to fulfill their basic necessities. If cities are designed and settled by facilitating all the basic necessities in neighborhood, and easily accessible on public transport then dependency on motor vehicles can be to some extent reduced.