1: Introduction

This introduction briefly overviews the following chapters in the book. The chapters focus on a wide range of behavioural issues related to (i) what the threats are to the urban quality of life from car traffic (and how urban life quality may be defined and measured); (ii) which are the determinants of car use (instrumental, affective/symbolic, or habit) including the possible role played by an ecological orientation; and (iii) how the problems of car use may effectively be reduced through policies forcing or encouraging changes in car use.

Motorised traffic is a major contributor to environmental problems at a global scale. In urban areas quality of life is threatened by the steady growth of motorised traffic. Private car use is a major source of these problems. It is widely acknowledged that these problems cannot be effectively controlled by means of new technology aimed at reducing the negative impacts per vehicle. Changes in volumes of car traffic are needed as well (OECD, 1996; Gärling et al., 2002; Steg and Gifford, 2005). Thus, policies must target the demand for car use.