For too long, transportation policy has been written by and for drivers. For those of us who cannot drive or cannot afford to drive, this creates major barriers for us to access school, jobs, medical care, grocery stores, religious services and everywhere else we need to go in order to fully participate in our communities. This is despite the fact that almost a third of people living in the United States can’t access the privilege of driving ourselves where we need to go; only 69 out of every 100 Americans has a driver license. 

Research from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that people with disabilities are four times more likely to not drive a car, and two to three times more likely to live in a zero-vehicle household. People without driver licenses, both who identify as disabled or and those who do not identify as disabled, are more likely to be Black, indigenous and people of color. 

In November 2020, we launched the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington and began interviewing nondrivers from every legislative district in Washington state. We documented those stories in our “Transportation Access for Everyone Story Map” to increase our visibility. Two years later, it includes interviews with more than 200 nondrivers about how we get around and the biggest barriers we face to participate fully in community life.

Program Updates

Now hiring: Disability Mobility Initiative Organizer

March 15, 2023Disability Rights Washington (DRW) seeks an organizer to lead our campaign for Seattle sidewalks funding and to support our annual #WeekWithoutDriving challenge. Learn more here!

Driver’s License Requirements Exclude Nondrivers from Employment, Employers Lose Valuable Expertise

February 23, 2023tation industry must stop excluding disabled and BIPOC candidates from employment opportunities with unnecessary driver license requirements. 

Podcast Series: The Road Is the Sidewalk

October 19, 2022The Road is the Sidewalk is a five-part podcast series we produced in collaboration with Zack Hurtz, a blind podcaster from Kitsap County, Washington.

Are you ready? The Week Without Driving starts Monday, September 19 

September 18, 2022 all your activities — not just your work commute. If you normally transport other family members or friends, it applies to those trips too. 
More program updates