Introducing the first-ever National Week Without Driving

If you can drive or afford a car, you may not understand what it’s like to rely on walking, rolling, transit and asking for rides.

But for nearly a third of people living in the United States – people with disabilities, young people, seniors and people who can’t afford cars or gas – this is their every day. 

The Week Without Driving challenge was created by Diability Rights Washington so that policy makers, elected leaders and transportation professionals can begin to understand the barriers nondrivers experience in accessing their communities. For the past two years, #WeekWithoutDriving has been focused on Washington State. Now in it’s third year, the Challenge is going national!

We’re excited to be part of the newly-formed National Coalition for a Week Without Driving, spearheaded by the Disability Mobility Initiative, America Walks, Access Living, and Front and Centered.

The first-ever National Week Without Driving challenge will be held October 2-8, 2023. Participants can get around however they want, but can’t drive themselves. This applies to all activities — not just work commutes.

The challenge isn't about not using a car, rather it's to see what it's like to not be the one able to drive, to better
understand what it’s like to try to navigate their communities without the privilege of driving.

In addition to organizations that would like to host a #WeekWithoutDriving challenge, anyone can sign up to learn more and participate as an individual at weekwithoutdriving.org. Participants are encouraged to understand the barriers nondrivers experience by reading the stories collected in Disability Rights Washington’s Transportation Access for Everyone Storymap, and to check out highlights from the 2020 and 2021 events.

Locally, we’ll be organizing events and actions in conjunction with National Week Without Driving. If you’d like to be involved in helping plan these activities, contact us. You can also click on the link below to learn more.