Hyperautomobility, the Social Organization of Space, and Health

The development of hyperautomobility in the US is having considerable impact on the social organization of space, on social life, and on public health. The geographic sprawl of urban areas, combined with the dominance of auto connectivity, promote a more privatized and individualized community life, as well as poorer environmental conditions. Public health is effected in a variety of ways, such as through the discouragement of routine walking. In addition to exacerbating the problems of traffic congestion, hyperautomobility is a basis of social exclusion for the many people who do not drive. The full range of its social and public health consequences merit more notice in the growing discourse of sustainable transport. The current intensification and globalization of auto‐centered transport systems make this attention timely.