Lack of access to a car creates serious difficulties for parents who juggle work, errands, and transporting children to school, child care, and other activities. Moreover, lower prices and a better selection of groceries, house- hold items, and other services often are located in the suburbs. Cars make commuting at night safer and decrease the vulnerability of families during emergencies. Cars also are important for building other assets: studies show that low-wage workers with cars are more likely to be homeowners than those without one, perhaps because car owners have a wider choice of locations for affordable, safe housing
