Can Amish People Ever Drive Cars?

There's a long list of things that Amish people don't do. Opting for a simpler, slower-paced lifestyle, the traditionalist Christian group forgoes many of the modern conveniences and inventions that most of us don't think twice about. They don't wear buttons on their clothing, the women don't cut their hair, and many don't even use electricity.

Another thing they're not known to do is drive. Though there may be some things you get wrong about the Amish, you're likely familiar with their primary mode of transportation: the horse and buggy. A classic symbol of Amish heritage, the horse and buggy harkens back to a pre-automobile era, representing the community's values surrounding tradition over technological advancements. With a majority of the fast-paced world cruising down highways in modern-day vehicles, the idea of relying on a significantly slower set of wheels might be hard to imagine. 

A horse and buggy is fine for a leisurely ride restricted to a small town or rural area, but what about traveling further distances? For the sake of speed and convenience, can Amish people ever drive cars? The short answer is yes, but it's extremely uncommon. While there are stricter rules about Amish people owning cars, there are some loopholes that allow them to use the vehicles, and in rarer cases, drive them.

Amish people driving cars isn't by any means commonplace, but it does happen. According to Amish 365, the Lobelville Amish, a rural Amish community in Tennessee, designates a couple of members of the church to drive communal vans, transporting people into town as needed. In some communities, people can hire "Amish taxi drivers" when they need to travel beyond the radius that's reachable by horse and buggy. Charging for each ride (kind of like an Amish Uber), these services are operated by non-Amish drivers and can become quite pricey if used often. While not every Amish person takes advantage of these services, they come in handy for long-distance journeys. Similarly, other modes of transportation like buses, trains, and even planes may be deemed acceptable for long-distance travel.

For shorter journeys, some Amish folks implore the use of tractors. While not every community uses them for travel, others that are more progressive — like the New Order Amish community in Oakland, Maryland — have adopted the motorized mode of transportation for the purpose of moving from farm to town, typically to run quick errands. And though Amish people are generally not allowed to own cars, tractors used for farming are acceptable to own.

One of the pillars of Amish culture is their rejection of modern technology. While some communities allow Amish people to own a car for business purposes as opposed to personal use, automobile ownership is strictly forbidden in conservative Old Order Amish churches. According to Amishrules.com, the Bible is the primary source cited in the prohibition of motorized vehicles, which are considered one of the luxuries of the modern world that pulls focus from living a life devoted to God. As Romans 12:2 states: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 

Aside from the Bible, another reason many Amish people don't own or operate cars is rooted in their commitment to community. Along with faith, family, and simplicity, community is one of the four core values of Amish culture. By removing themselves from modern society and staying within a small, horse and buggy-friendly area, the Amish are able to sustain a close-knit community shielded from influences of the modern world. Per Amish365.com, many Amish people fear that owning (and driving) a car would only drive their community apart.