World Car-Free Day 2022: History, significance and day's activities

World Car-Free Day is celebrated across the world on September 22. The day aims at encouraging motorists to give up on their cars for a day and explore other, more environment-friendly means of commuting.

Awareness is spread among people about the ill effects of using a car. Though a convenient means of transport, cars lead to environmental pollution and accidental deaths.

World Car-Free Day: History

Owing to the rising pollution and road accidents, many people in the 1950s protested against the car culture.

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This resulted in Netherlands and Belgium having a car-free Sunday in 1956 and 1957 respectively. During the 1990s, many European countries started various car-free projects, inviting cities worldwide to participate on September 22.

The World Car-Free Day has since been celebrated on September 22 each year.

World Car-Free Day: Significance

The day seeks to promote more environment-friendly means of commuting such as walking, cycling and public transport.

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This helps keep the city clean, pollution free and noise-free for at least a day. People make better use of roads for instance, the races in Budapest and street picnics in Vienna.

World Car-Free Day: Activities

People usually keep their cars parked all day, and commute through more sustainable means of transport like bicycles or local trains.

Some also get their cars serviced, and get their pollution levels checked.