What Happens When You Stop Driving for a Week?
It’s here! Week Without Driving begins today, and it brings with it an exciting opportunity for all who call Los Angeles home.
For those who don’t drive, this week may not feel like a challenge at all; it’s just everyday life. But for drivers, this week is an invitation: what would it feel like if you put the keys away for seven days?
Maybe you’ve never thought about it. For many, driving feels automatic, even necessary. Yet for others, a car isn’t affordable. Some avoid driving because of stress, while others carry trauma from collisions that make getting behind the wheel impossible. Even more people avoid driving because using other means of travel—walking, biking, or taking transit—is better for mental and physical health and lowers our impact on the planet.
Week Without Driving is a chance to pause and reflect on how our city moves when the car isn’t at the center.
A super fun musical PSA created by students of Saint Monica Preparatory School for Week Without Driving.
Reflecting on Driving Habits
If you’re a driver, here’s where to start:
Think about your last week of driving. How much did you spend on gas? How many hours were spent in traffic? How did you feel at the end of each trip? Refreshed, calm, stressed, drained, happy?
Write these down in a notebook or in your phone. They’ll be your baseline to compare after the week ends.
Now, consider what life looks like without the car.
Trying Out Alternatives
Public transit: Metro, Metrolink, and bus lines can take you all over the place! And on October 1st – for CA Clean Air Day – Metro and Metrolink are offering FREE rides on all trains, buses, and Metro Bike Share. Rail turnstiles will be unlocked. Metro Micro: Use code CleanAir24 for free rides. Metro Bike Share: Use code 100224 for free 30-minute rides.
Imagine getting to your destination while reading a book, catching up on podcasts, or simply relaxing because someone else is driving for you.
Bicycles: If you choose to ride, put safety first. Wear a helmet, use available bike lanes, signal your turns, and stay aware of your surroundings. Leave the headphones off; your senses are your best protection. Riding can be freeing, fun, and surprisingly efficient!
Take a walk! If you’re close enough and physically able, consider just taking in the scenery and walking to work - or wherever you’re headed to.
Seeing the City Differently
One of the most powerful parts of this challenge is perspective. Notice how life looks when you’re not behind the wheel: what challenges do others face without a car? Where could public transit improve? What moments of joy do you discover? Murals, gardens, street live music, or conversations you’d miss if you were focused on traffic?
Organizations like SAFE are working for exactly this kind of change: a democracy of mobility that is fair, safe, and accessible for everyone—drivers, bikers, and walkers alike.
Benefits Beyond the Car
By the end of the week, return to your notes from day one. Ask yourself: How did my stress levels change? Did I save money? Was my mood different? What advantages of transit or biking surprised me?
The benefits often go beyond cost or convenience. A calmer commute. Less stress. A stronger connection to your community and environment.
Why This Challenge Matters
Week Without Driving isn’t about blaming drivers. It’s about seeing the full picture of mobility in Los Angeles. Cars have shaped our culture and our streets, but they’ve also contributed to collisions, pollution, and a loss of public space.
When we step away from the wheel, even for a week, we gain a deeper understanding of how we can build a safer, more sustainable city together.
Will You Take the Challenge?
Whether you ride, roll, or walk, this week is about awareness and possibility. Imagine an LA where children can play outside without fear, where bikers ride confidently, and where drivers feel less stressed and more supported.
Week Without Driving is a celebration of community, sustainability, and safer streets for all. So the question is simple: are you ready to try it?
