World Car Free Day - statistics & facts

World Car Free Day is celebrated every year around the world on September 22. This annual event aims to raise awareness about the social and environmental impacts associated with cars and promote positive change. Many towns and cities across the globe get involved by closing their centers to cars and encouraging healthier and more sustainable alternatives like walking, cycling, and the use of public transportation. Car-free days are seen as a great opportunity to highlight how cities could look and feel with reduced car numbers and less congested roads.

The downside of automobiles

Automobiles are undeniably a vital part of modern life. However, they come with a host of environmental impacts, which is one of the main motivations for car-free days. Despite growth in global electric vehicle sales, the vast majority of cars on the road today are still internal combustion engines that pump out large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere. Globally, road transportation is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, while passenger cars account for around 40 percent of total transportation-related CO₂ emissions. Cars are also a significant source of air pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to human health and linked to thousands of deaths worldwide. People living in large urban centers are particularly exposed to these hazardous pollutants, with children especially vulnerable. As the number of vehicles on roads keeps rising, traffic jams have also become a persistent headache for residents, and busy roads mean little space is left for bikes and pedestrians.

Benefits of World Car Free Day

World Car Free Day is a way to alleviate many of the issues associated with cars, particularly traffic congestion. With pedestrians able to retake the streets, events such as street parties and cycling races are organized in cities that are typically overrun with cars. Fewer cars on the road also means less exposure to air pollution. Many cities around the world had a glimpse of what car-free cities can be like after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. Lockdowns heavily reduced mobility, resulting in notable reductions in nitrogen dioxide emissions in formerly polluted cities. Numerous cities around the world are now trying to reduce car numbers, whether by creating car-free zones, introducing congestion charges and limited traffic zones, or increasing cycling lanes.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Ian Tiseo, Feb 27, 2024

Key insights

Worldwide car sales
75.3m units
Number of vehicles registered in the U.S.
282m
Number of privately owned vehicles in China
278m
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of cars sold worldwide from 2010 to 2023, with a 2024 forecast (in million units)

Passenger Cars

Annual car sales worldwide 2010-2023, with a forecast for 2024

Carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector worldwide from 1970 to 2022 (in billion metric tons)

Emissions

Global transportation sector CO₂ emissions 1970-2022

Greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars in the United States from 1990 to 2022 (in million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent)

Emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars in the U.S. 1990-2022

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