UPDATED: JUNE 23, 2023 | 3 MIN READ
Americans throughout the nation rely heavily on the ability to drive to and from their desired destinations. Whether you drive for a living or you drive to take care of personal errands such as school or grocery shopping, it’s easy to put miles on your vehicle. Let’s review how many miles the average motorist puts on their cars each year and what it means for your insurance rates.
What is the average number of miles Americans drive each year?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average American drives around 14,263 miles yearly. This converts to about 1,200 miles per month and 300 miles per week. That may sound like quite a bit, but it’s not.
However, insurance companies do use an average number of miles driven to help calculate insurance premium costs. The more you drive, the more at risk you are for being involved in a collision.
Which states do Americans drive the most?
Where you live significantly affects the average miles you drive each year. Less populated states with more rural communities tend to make up the states where Americans drive the most. This is because different modes of transportation, such as subways or city buses, are far less prevalent.
Therefore, residents of these communities must rely on driving their vehicles far more than in metropolitan communities. The states with the most miles driven in any given year are as follows:
- Wyoming – 24,069 average annual miles
- Mississippi – 19,966 average annual miles
- New Mexico – 19,157 average annual miles
- Missouri – 18,521 average annual miles
- Georgia – 18,334 average annual miles
Which states do Americans drive the least?
States in the Pacific Northwest and the East average the least miles driven in a year. This is because these states tend to offer far more means of public transportation systems than the states mentioned above.
Americans utilize public transportation because, in many cases, it’s far more efficient and affordable than owning and driving vehicles. Residents may also drive less in these states as they see far more expensive gas prices than in other states. For example, Alaska gas prices are some of the most expensive fuel costs in the country.
- District of Columbia – 7,013 average annual miles
- Rhode Island – 9,961 average annual miles
- New York – 10,167 average annual miles
- Washington – 10,949 average annual miles
- Alaska – 11,111 average annual miles
What are the average annual miles driven in each state?
The overall average throughout the country for miles driven each year is 12,263 miles. And out of all 50 states in the United States, Wyoming has the highest average rate of miles driven each year, at 24,069 miles. Wyoming is nowhere near as populated as other states, making public transportation scarce, and has far more rural communities that ensure drivers have more distance to cover for simple errands.
Washington, D.C. residents drive the least compared to the rest of the nation. On average, D.C. residents drive around 4,623 miles yearly, thanks to far more populated areas and robust public transportation systems.
Do demographics matter when it comes to annual mileage?
Believe it or not, demographics make a significant difference in the annual miles driven. Age plays a prominent role in how much a driver drives, as does gender.
Older Americans, generally 65 and older, who are retired won’t have a daily commute to work or school, like younger Americans. Thus, they tend to place far fewer miles on their vehicles.
On average, those over 65 and those aged 16 – 19 drive around 7,600 miles yearly. Working-age adults drive significantly because of driving to and from work, toting children to school, doing errands, and more. Adults between the ages of 20-44 drive 15,300 miles per year on average.
Do men or women drive more?
Men tend to drive significantly more than women when comparing men and women drivers. Men drive an average of more than 6,000 miles yearly on a grand scale when combining all age ranges.
Working-age men drive around 7,500 miles more than working-age women each year. And men between the ages of 34 and 54 drive about 19,000 miles each year.
What age group drives the least?
Older Americans 65 and older and young drivers between ages 16 – 19 drive the least annually. These drivers tend to drive around 7,600 miles per year.
And women who are 65 or older drive the least out of all demographics. These women tend to drive about 4,700 miles per year.
How does your annual mileage affect your car insurance rates?
Annual mileage plays a significant role in your insurance pricing. The more miles you drive, the more expensive the insurance rates.
This is because you become a higher risk to insurance carriers if you’re often out on the road. And in many cases, drivers who keep their mileage low often qualify for discounts through their insurance companies because these drivers are considered lower risk.
What do insurance companies consider low mileage?
Insurance companies typically consider 10,000 miles or less to be low mileage. And with most insurance companies, drivers can qualify for low mileage discounts if they keep their mileage at around 7,000 miles or less. This is about half of the average annual miles driven among Americans.
Do you get a discount on your insurance if you drive less?
Most insurance carriers offer insurance discounts for low mileage. Always check with your carrier first to ensure this is the case.
Discounts can vary depending on which company you have a policy with and which state you live in. Overall, drivers can save around 3% each year with low mileage discounts, which means a little extra jingle in your pockets!
Some insurance companies even offer drivers the opportunity to save up to 15% each year by installing a telematic mileage device in their vehicle, which helps monitor miles yearly. Not only are usage-based insurance policies and telematics devices beneficial for homes with young drivers who wish to monitor miles driven, but these are beneficial in monitoring driving habits to promote safe driving.
Does driving above the annual mileage average increase your insurance?
Vehicle miles driven each year directly correlate to insurance premium rates. If you spend more time on the open road than others, you’re automatically viewed as a higher-risk driver.
Insurance companies view you as more likely to file a claim due to an accident because of a more significant amount of time behind the wheel. They utilize age, marital status, driving behavior and records, and miles driven to help gauge insurance premium costs.
We highly recommend being honest on your insurance application with the miles you drive annually, as it could have adverse effects on a claim should you be involved in an accident and haven’t been truthful on the application. Some car insurance companies may request random odometer checks to monitor average annual mileage, and others may want more frequent odometer readings and updates. If your commute changes and you drive more or less, always let your insurance company know.
FAQs
Is driving 15000 miles a year a lot?
The average amount of miles driven each year in the U.S. is 14,263. So 15,000 miles driven per year is considered above average, and insurance companies may view this as many miles.
Is it normal to drive 20000 miles a year?
Twenty thousand miles each year is above average and considered high mileage. The average American drive a little more than 14,000 miles each year. However, you may drive far more than the annual average if you live in a scarcely populated area without significant public transportation.
Is 15000 miles a year average?
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average number of miles driven yearly is over 14,000. Some view the average miles per year as 10,000 to 15,000.
How many miles do people drive in a year?
Most American drivers drive 4,263 miles each year. Of course, various factors can affect this, such as where you reside, your gender, and your age.
How many miles does the average person in Vermont drive a year?
The average driver in Vermont drives less than the annual average. Licensed drivers in Vermont put on around 13,004 miles per year on their vehicles.
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