A gentleman from the UK, currently in America for the World Cup Soccer Matches, expressed genuine surprise at the distances Americans drive on a daily basis.
Driving Habits Compared
In the UK, the average car journey is approximately 8.1 to 8.2 miles long, with 28% of drivers covering less than 10 miles and 41% driving 10–20 miles per day. In contrast, American cities see longer drives, often due to traffic.
A 30-minute drive is considered excessive by UK standards. This is particularly notable in states like Wyoming, where residents drive an average of 21,500 to over 24,000 miles per year, nearly twice the national average.
Wyoming is known for its vast distances, and driving across the state can take anywhere from 5 to 9 hours, depending on the route. The average daily highway drive in Wyoming covers 350 to 450 miles, resulting in an average of 24,069 miles driven per year, the highest in the country.
Driving Times Across the US
Driving times vary significantly across different states. For instance, driving from one end of Wyoming to the other can take around 6 to 7 hours via Interstate 25/90, covering approximately 400–450 miles.
In comparison, driving across most US states takes between 2 and 8 hours, depending on the direction of travel and route choice. Non-stop driving across the entire Lower 48 states generally takes about 113 hours, covering over 13,000 miles.
Original reporting: K2 Radio (Casper) — read the source article.
