Should we ban old cars to fight pollution?

As much as we are dependent on cars for our transportation; as much as we view cars as one of the most integral parts of our lives; it is undeniable that they are also responsible for climate change. Climate change, global warming, it’s all real and happening right now. With each passing year, the average temperature of the world is gradually increasing. These add up over time and will inevitably increase the average temperature of our planet. What would happen next?

We all have a brief idea of ​​what would happen, but if you didn’t know the world would get hotter and hotter. Even a slight change in temperature around the world could turn entire regions into deserts. However, with modern technology spreading its wings, the advent of electric cars is bringing closer and closer to true “zero emissions”. But old cars, what about them? Should they be banned? You can check the specs on CarIndigo of older and newer cars and compare them side by side to clearly see the difference. But should old cars be banned?

Old cars are a major cause of pollution in our world. Not only do they have inefficient engines, but they were also made during a time when emissions regulations weren’t as tight as they are today. They also used parts that weren’t very environmentally friendly. As a result, these cars would emit more into the atmosphere and cause more pollution. Modern cars have to follow many strict emission controls, and technology has come a long way. Electric vehicles are also a big part of our future.

According to the EPA, a typical vehicle today emits about 4.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. This takes into account an average vehicle that offers a fuel economy of 22 MPG and should travel approximately 11,500 miles per year. This is the current figure and it still adds a lot of CO2 to the air today. Older cars are even more harmful, as they emit more CO2 each year into the atmosphere.

This idea of ​​banning cars is not new. It was already implemented by countries like Mexico in 1989, which prevented people from driving their vehicles one day a week. Although that didn’t really make a big difference. Even in 1992, Santiago made a restriction to ensure that all cars that were not equipped with a catalytic converter could not be driven.

Mexico has also made similar progress and makes it clear that new cars are only exempt from this law for their first eight years. Even Europeans are starting to take this thing seriously. Germany has a few cities that have low emission zones. Paris has also banned cars built before 1997 from driving on the road between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Madrid, London and Rome have also followed in their footsteps.

Are they effective? Well yes. They seem to be really effective. Although, to see its true potential, we have to wait for more. These restrictions on not driving older vehicles have great potential to make the environment pristine and the air much cleaner. But what do people have to say about it?

Well, obviously some people are hurt by these restrictions. Most people still shake an old car they got from their grandparents and still drive them. They could even use this car as a daily driver. These cars are not only their daily drivers, but they also have memories attached to them. It wouldn’t be easy for people to let go. Besides the emotional factor, people might also not want to invest more in newer cars. Due to inflation and the current pandemic, the value of new and used vehicles has increased dramatically. In addition, due to the pandemic, most people found themselves without a job. These people obviously wouldn’t have the money to buy newer cars.

Unlike the government, people may not share the same feelings about the environment. They can also be stubborn and not care about their vehicles’ emissions. In such a scenario, the best way to counter this is for the government to start banning older cars. Most people do not understand and ignore the harmful effects of global warming and the greenhouse effect. They wouldn’t understand it unless it was too late. We may not suffer now, but the next generation surely will.

In addition, it has been found that placing restrictions on the type of cars people can drive has more of an impact than teaching people how to drive. These so-called “vintage-specific” restrictions prevent people from driving specific models and do not prohibit drivers from driving in a certain way. This way you can see why it would be more effective. If you try to restrict people in the way they drive, it will cause more outrage and make people angry. But if the government properly explains why some cars should be banned and why some older models should be banned, people might understand and not rebel against the government.

However, if you put a restriction on driving all types of cars for, say, two days a week, it would not only harm commuting and other requirements, but it would also not allow for achieve what it really should have – get old vehicles off the road. Asking all drivers to stop driving a specific model is much more effective than asking a driver not to drive any cars. This way we can be sure that old vehicles are going to be taken off the streets.

It might sound like a good step, but there are also problems. See, a lot of people might still own an old car. If they’re suddenly restricted, what are they supposed to do? Governments should try to provide some kind of incentive for these people and make sure they don’t suffer. In this way, they could not only get rid of old cars, but also not restrict people’s daily life.

Incentives on used or new cars should be provided to the government for the welfare of the people. Or, the government could also encourage the use of public transport. They need to focus on improving infrastructure so that more and more people are drawn to public transport rather than old cars.