Slow down to a stop, put the car in reverse and back up 100 years. America in 1920 was at a crossroads. Ford and his automobile were changing transportation dynamics across the nation.

At the same time, the almighty rail industry was the primary mode for transporting Americans, along with an extensive system of streetcars that existed in cities across the country. Think San Francisco’s famous hill trolley, but nationwide. Eventually, these modes of transportation would fade away.

The popularity of the automobile soared. America became consumed in its car culture. We significantly shifted the way we move ourselves, intentionally or not. But was this for the better? Well, let’s take a closer look.

Cars are central to our American identity. NASCAR, the “Fast and Furious” franchise, Steve McQueen to Lightning McQueen. These are symbols of a car-first culture. By favoring cars, we undertook a gigantic infrastructural overhaul, which resulted in the creation of our national highway system.

For most people, having your own car is seen as the ultimate sign of freedom and individuality—two things at the core of our nation. Yet, I challenge this notion. Is having a car independence, or is it dependence?

I argue that Americans only need a car because it’s what our society demands of us. Since the rail industry lost the transportation battle, the automotive, oil and infrastructure industries have joined forces to keep us in cars and on the road. And because of that, the way of living has changed tremendously.

In the past, most people lived either in rural farming communities or larger, more dense cities. Trains went between the two regions. Outside of that, people had their own two feet or their bicycle, as cheap, mass-produced cars hadn’t become available yet. However, in their quest for transportation dominance, these industries pulled away from this established way of life and, instead, built a way of living that works for no one but themselves.

As America’s love for cars and the freedoms they provide grew, so did the amount of highways, parking lots, traffic jams and road rages. Urban sprawl expanded. To ensure steady revenue to the oil and automobile industries, our communities became car dependent.

Suburban housing developments were intentionally designed in a maze-like formation so that it’s harder to get out without a car. Single use residential and commercial buildings were all built with their own parking spaces, spreading our communities out over large areas. On top of this, the ability to introduce public transportation to a new community was put on the backburner in favor of new highway systems that aren’t compatible for rail.

This way of living not only affects our own health, but also the well-being of our environment. The way we’ve built our nation in the past 70 years has drastically damaged our ecosystem. Toxins from vehicles accounts for a third of all air pollution in the United States. Along with this we have the ever occurring drilling and mining for fossil fuels caused by the demand we’re forced to create. Our transportation infrastructure and the urban sprawl it’s fostered has also destroyed wildlife habitats.

While America paves its path toward automobile dependence, other areas of the world have decided to build out their transportation networks differently. Both Europe and East Asia have high-speed train infrastructures. Looking specifically at Europe, we can see a vast and well-developed public transportation network.

In America’s rapid highway expansion, we cut right through communities with our roads, but European countries decided to build its automobile infrastructure in line with its rail networks. Nearly every city is connected by both a highway and a high-speed rail system. This network, along with a number of bus and tram systems, allows you to leave your house, walk to a bus or train station and be in another city or country in an efficient and timely manner. Something our current rail infrastructure just can’t support.

Although America has seemingly neglected its public transportation roots, it’s not too late to adopt some “older” methods.

A few years ago, the Twin Cities’ green line was opened, connecting downtown Saint Paul and Minneapolis by light rail for the first time in decades. Other cities like Portland and Seattle are fighting against car dependency by adding bicycle lanes, buses and trams. While other metros, such as Washington D.C., New York City and Chicago still have millions of people in annual subway ridership.

If American cities start building infrastructures connected by one efficient national rail system, we could significantly cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.

Doing so would require a commitment to America’s future. It would lead to thousands of jobs. It demands an overhaul of American behavior. This can be done, and it’s a cause worth working toward, especially with the end producing a healthier and less road-raging America. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Zaid Khan can be reached at khan8548@stthomas.edu.