The answer to this question depends on a lot of things, like where you work, your location, and your personal obligations. However, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, two things indicate how often you drive: your age and your gender.
Per their research, men between the ages of 35 to 54 years of age drive the most out of any other demographic, totaling an average of 18,858 miles a year. Women over the age of 65 years years old drive the least amount, averaging about 4,785 miles a year.
Things That Could Make You Drive More Than the Average Motorist
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), education is one thing that could increase the number of miles you drive. The higher your education level, the more often you are to drive.
For instance, people with high school-level education generally drive 19.9 miles a day, while someone with a college degree is likely to drive 37.2 miles a day.
Some other factors that could increase how often you drive include:
Where You Live
People in Wyoming drive more than residents in any other state, according to Statista. Typically, larger, rural states require more driving because of how far things are spaced out.
Other states that require a lot of driving include:
· Alabama
· Mississippi
· New Mexico
· North Dakota
On the other side of the coin, busier cities, like New York City, do not have motorists that drive a lot. This is because people can easily walk to certain locations or rely on public transportation.
Your Profession
If you currently work from home, obviously, you will not drive as much as someone who commutes to work. However, some jobs intrinsically require you to drive more––especially if you use your own car for things like construction, ridesharing, and delivery.
Why Is Your Car’s Mileage Important?
First things first, how often you drive can play a direct role in how your insurance company calculates your monthly rates, per the Insurance Information Institute. The more often you drive, the more likely you are to get into an accident, and the higher your monthly rates could be.
Additionally:
Your Car’s Mileage Acts as a Timeline
To get the most out of your vehicle (when you junk it), even if you’ve had it for a few years, its mileage will present certain milestones in terms of repairs. For instance, most people know that you should get an oil change every 3,000 miles. It has nothing to do with how often you drive.
Some other milestones are as follows:
· Every 30,000 miles, you should take your car in for a diagnostic “tune-up.” The mechanic will check your tires’ tread, engine, timing belts, and other components.
· Every 50,000 to 60,000 miles, you should get your stocks, struts, and timing belts evaluated. These components allow you to control your vehicle and use the steering wheel.
· Every 80,000 miles, you should replace your battery.
· Every 100,000 miles, you should take your car in to have its engine evaluated.
These milestones also depend on what type of make, model, and year car you have. Be sure to read your vehicle’s user manual for more specific information about performing periodic maintenance.
The More You Drive, the Less Mileage You Get
Your car will never be as high-performing as the day you drive it off the lot. So, for instance, if you got a sports car that gets 25 miles to the gallon, you can expect this mileage to decrease over time.
You can get the most out of your car’s MPG by:
· Driving slower. If you have a lead foot, you might find yourself making frequent trips to the gas station. Even going 65 mph down the highway instead of 75 mph can save you money over time.
· Taking some junk out of your car. Per Consumer Reports, most of your car’s energy goes into something called “aerodynamic drag.” Simply put, when your car is weighed down, your engine has to go into overtime to function. This can reduce the amount of gas you get per gallon.
· Turning off the air conditioning. The hotter it is outside, the harder your AC has to work. This usually applies to situations where it is more than 70 degrees outside. If you don’t need to have the air conditioning on, turn it off and roll down the windows.
· Using alternative forms of transportation. You do not have to drive everywhere. Depending on where you live, you could walk, bike, or carpool. This would not only reduce your carbon footprint and the amount of driving you do, but you can also save money on gas.
· Avoiding heavy traffic. Rush hour can turn an ordinary 15-minute commute into a half-hour-long ordeal. During your commute, your car spends energy on running the engine and keeping the AC on. This can reduce your car’s overall performance and cause you to drive more than the average driver.
You can calculate how many miles you drive in a year
Unless you are actively keeping track of how often you drive, the following formula will only give you an estimate of how often you drive in a year. First, determine how much you drive on a given day. Take into account how long you were in the car, how far away your job was, and other errands that you may run. Write down that number.
Then, multiply that number by seven, the number of days in a week. Finally, multiply that sum by 52––the number of weeks in a year. So, suppose that you drive 10 miles a day.
When you calculate that number by 7, you’ll get 70. Then, multiple 70 by 52. According to these calculations, you could drive 3,640 miles a year.
The Takeaway
So, are you driving more than the average driver? It all depends on your particular situation. Where you live, what job you have, and your overall lifestyle will determine how many miles a year you put on your car.
