Average Car Mileage Per Year And Its Importance

Average car mileage per year can give you a lot of information. Depending on your needs, you can use it in many ways. 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.

There are many different opinions about the average mileage per year. Some drivers don’t find it useful. Even though there are many reasons why you should know your vehicle’s average mileage.

Below I’ll help you to explore all its advantages and introduce you the data in a different way. We will discuss 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. Besides, we will review interesting statistical data about the annual mileage. So, let’s start an interesting journey!

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

There are many reasons why I’d advise each driver to look at odometers and monitor the mileage data. Did you know that analyzing the annual mileage information can save you a lot of money? Below I’ll mention two main cases when you can wisely use the average car mileage data.

Insurance cost determinant

Annual mileage data 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 is the chance to get 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. But take into account, that the final price is calculated upon combining other details. Those details can be your age, model, driving experience, previous claim history, gender, living area, etc.

Useful 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 mileage 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 there are many other aspects that affect the condition of a vehicle, for instance, breaks, tires, rust, etc. But still, mileage remains important in determining the value for 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 used car is too much, can help you to explore odometer discrepancy during the pre-purchase inspection.

When checking the car, you might find that odometer data doesn’t come in accordance with the overall condition of a vehicle. According to Federal Highway Administration average annual mileage in 2021 is 14,300 miles (23013,619 in km). 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 and Reduce the Average Miles Driven a Year?

Now since you already know the importance of average car mileage per year, you might be interested to clarify how to calculate it. Of course, determining your average mileage doesn’t mean tracking each distance. Mainly there are two 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 (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 point on 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 the insurance cost. Let me share with you a tip that helps you to 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 13,476 miles. However, each state has different statistical data. I won’t bother you mentioning mileage data for each state, but I can share with you some interesting details.

Surprisingly, Americans cover the longest average annual distance than any other nation in the world. For instance, the average annual mileage in the UK is 7,400 miles. The data is almost two times bigger in America.

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

1. Wyoming – 24,069 miles
2. Mississippi – 19,966 miles
3. New Mexico – 19,157 miles

And, states that are outstanding with the lowest miles cover per year:

1. Rhode Island – 9,961 miles
2. New York – 10,167 miles
3. Washington – 10,949 miles

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

Conclusion

All in all, now you know how to calculate average mileage data on a car. Knowing the importance of the data might push you to start thinking about reducing the data in case it’s above the average one. As you already know, low annual mileage can save you a lot of money on insurance.

Besides, it can give you a sight about odometer discrepancy. Nonetheless, the average yearly mileage on a car in the US is 13,476. it may significantly differ for other states.