The transport sector is a major contributor to climate change and car use significantly contributes to an individual's carbon footprint. Transport emissions are already responsible for 16% of greenhouse emissions in Australia abd are increasing more rapidly than those from any other sector.3
With average use, an Australian family car travels 15,000km a year, generating about 5 tonnes of greenhouse pollution and costing its owners about $13,000. Walking just 10km a week (1km each way, to and from work), instead of driving, saves about $900 in transport costs and 300 kilograms of greenhouse pollution each year.
Many car trips are short (less than 2km) which is a walkable distance for most. If people walked instead of using a cold-start vehicle, pollution levels would be reduced substantially. 1
With every litre of petrol saved, greenhouse pollution is reduced by 2.9 kilograms. 7
Motor vehicles are a dominant source of air toxics. 2
Traffic noise is probably one of the most serious and pervasive types of noise pollution. 4
On a daily basis, almost 40% of all Australians are exposed to undesirable levels of traffic noise and a further 10% is exposed to excessive levels. 4
Associations between particles, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and asthma hospital admissions have been confirmed in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. 6
Exhaust fumes are known to affect health causing and/or developing the instances of:
As well as greenhouse pollution, vehicle exhaust causes air pollution, such as smog, which according to CSIRO kills about 2,400 Australians every year. 7