Transport and quality of life: The car and its link to subjective well-being, health, and life domains

Despite the harmful impact of automobility on the planet and human societies, car ownership is on the rise globally. However, the contribution of car-based transport to quality of life remains unclear. This paper examines how car ownership relates to subjective well-being, health, and life domains based on three-wave longitudinal data from Athens, Greece and Oslo, Norway. (1) Overall, the findings indicate that car owners have higher well-being and better health than those without a car, both before and after accounting for socio-economic and built environment characteristics. (2) Car ownership is associated with higher life satisfaction, better health, higher leisure satisfaction, and higher satisfaction with social relationships in Athens, and with lower anxiety, better health, and higher vacations satisfaction in Oslo. (3) Although there are positive links between the car and quality of life in both cities, these links are considerably stronger in car-dependent Athens than in transit-oriented Oslo. The study's outcomes suggest that the car may provide several health and well-being benefits to the individual user, contrasting with its negative impact on planetary and societal well-being. Replacing these benefits through urban and transport policies and alternative mobility solutions is urgently needed for a successful transition to sustainable transport and climate change mitigation.