Average Car Mileage Per Year And Its Importance

Average car mileage per year gives you various information that you can use to your advantage. For some individuals, mileage is just numbers indicated on the odometer dashboard. Not many drivers check or monitor it regularly. However, there are cases when everyone looks at the data and takes it into account before making the final decision.

The real differences occur while discussing the average mileage per year. Even though there are multiple reasons why you should know your vehicle’s average mileage, some drivers still don’t find it useful.

In this blog, we will help you explore all its advantages and provide you with different data. You will understand the reasons that determine the importance of annual data. After reading the blog, you will know how to calculate the average mileage data for your vehicle and how to reduce it. We will also review interesting statistical data about annual mileage that will help us better analyze the information.

Why Do I Need to Know Average Car Mileage Per Year?

Did you know that analyzing the annual mileage per year can save you a lot of money? This is one of the most important reasons why you should monitor your vehicle’s annual mileage. There are different reasons why I’d advise each driver to look at odometers and monitor the mileage data. In the next chapters, we will discuss two main cases in which you can wisely use the average car mileage data.

Insurance cost determinant

Average car mileage per year directly determines your insurance expenses. The data is used by insurance companies to calculate rates. And there is a reason behind it.

Drivers who spend more time on the road have a higher risk of claiming more requests than others who are not so frequently on the road. All in all, the less time you spend on the road, the lower the chance of getting in an accident.

Hence, if the average miles driven in a year is within the average limit or below it, you have a chance to get the lowest rate. However, take into account that the final price is calculated by combining other details. Those details can be your age, model, driving experience, previous claim history, gender, living area, etc.

Useful tips while checking vehicle condition

On the one hand, it might seem quite blurred to understand how you can determine the condition of a car through the average mileage. However, the average car mileage per year data is one of the first things that almost every potential buyer looks at.

As you may already know, mileage is used as one of the most important details for determining the reliability of a car. Even though many other aspects affect the condition of a vehicle, for instance, breaks, tires, rust, etc. But still, mileage remains important in determining the value of a used car.

Higher mileage means more wear and tear. For that reason, some sellers amend the odometer to lower existing data. They artificially try to increase the resale value of a car and earn more money out of the selling. Knowing the average yearly mileage on a car or how many miles on a used car is too much can help you explore odometer discrepancies during the pre-purchase inspection.

When checking the car, you might find that odometer data doesn’t match the overall condition of the vehicle. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average annual mileage is 14,263 miles. Hence, if you are checking a 5-year-old car, then the mileage should be approximately 71,500. If the vehicle has much lower mileage, then it’s suspicious. There is a risk that the data was intentionally changed. However, you can always ask directly to the seller about the reason for the lower data and clarify its reasons.

How to Calculate Average Car Mileage Per Year?

You might be interested to learn how to calculate average car mileage per year. Of course, determining your average mileage doesn’t mean tracking each distance. There are two main ways to calculate your annual average distance.

1. Look at the odometer. Check the odometer data on the date of purchase. Divide total mileage by the number of years you’ve owned the car.
2. Another way is to calculate your average weekly distance and multiply it by 52 (the total amount of weeks in a year). For instance, if you are using the vehicle for moving from home to the office, multiply the distance between A to B points by 7. That way, you will know the approximate weekly mileage. After this, you can multiply it by 52 and get the average mileage per year.

You already know the average annual mileage of Americans, as well as how to calculate your car’s average distance per year. If you find that your data is much higher than the average, you might face a high rate for insurance costs.

Let me share a tip that helps you reduce the average distance. Combine several trips and plan the route! On the one hand, it seems very simple and easy, but trust me it really works. Instead of going back and forth from A to B locations, you can wisely plan the route, combine destinations, and lower the total covered distance.

Average Car Mileage by State

As you already know, Americans’ average car mileage per year is 14,273 miles. However, each state has different statistical data. Let’s take a look at some interesting statistics.

Americans cover the longest average annual distance than any other nation in the world. For instance, the average annual mileage in the UK is around 7,000 miles. The data is almost two times bigger in America.

Upon analyzing statistical data, we can determine the states with the highest annual mileage:

1. Wyoming 21,589 miles
2. Indiana 20,560 miles
3. Mississipi 19,517 miles

And states with the lowest miles covered per year:

1. Washington D.C., with 6,694 miles
2. New York, with 9,548 miles
3. Rhode Island, with 9,903 miles

As you can see, the average miles driven a year may significantly differ depending on the state.

Conclusion

Now you know how to calculate average car mileage per year and increase the resale value of your vehicle. Knowing the importance of the data might push you to start thinking about reducing the data in case it’s above the average. As you already know, low annual mileage can save you a lot of money on insurance.

Besides, it can give you a look at the odometer discrepancy. Nonetheless, the average yearly mileage on a car in the US is 14,273. It may significantly differ for other states.