Why do people use their cars for short trips?

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The relationship between instrumental, symbolic and affective factors as predictors of car use: A structural equation modeling approach (2009, background): “It has been verified that the practical aspects of cars are more positively valued than those of public transportation (Mackett, 2003; Steg, 2003).”
Assessing the potential for carbon emissions savings from replacing short car trips with walking and cycling using a mixed GPS-travel diary approach (2019, background): “Most of these reasons are supported by findings from previous studies (Beckx et al., 2013; Mackett, 2003; Piatkowski et al., 2015; Vagane, 2007; Walton and Sunseri, 2010).”
Interrelations between travel mode choice and trip distance: trends in Germany 1976-2002 (2010, background): “Mackett (2003) examines reasons for using the private car for short trips up to one mile in length and finds the most frequently cited reasons to be: goods transport (22 percent), escort (17 percent), too far (11 percent), and convenience (10 percent).”