9. Preventing Problems
Sustainability planning is
to development what
preventive medicine is to
health: it anticipates and
manages problems rather
than waiting for crises to
develop.
10. Transport Policies Affect People’s Lives
On Average:
• People spend about 90 daily minutes on travel activity.
• Households spend about 20% of their budget on transportation, so
approximately 90 minutes of each workday is devoted to financing transport.
• Vehicle parking represents about 10% of building costs and significantly affects
housing affordability.
• Local and state governments spend hundreds of dollars annually per capita on
transportation facilities and services.
• Motor vehicle accidents are the largest single cause of fatalities for people in the
prime of life (between 5 and 50 years of age).
• Motor vehicles are major contributors to air, noise and water pollution, and so
affect public health, community livability and ecological integrity.
• People who spend more time driving are more likely to be overweight, and
people with long commutes tend to experience less satisfaction in life.
• The quality of mobility and accessibility significantly affect people’s opportunities
in life.