Featured Guide
Featured Guide
Featured Guide
Featured Guide
Featured Guide
Featured Guide
Featured Guide
The agency, an arm of the U.S Department of Transportation, continuously monitors traffic at 4,000 locations nationwide. Data released by the government shows that U.S. motorists drove 2.96 trillion miles last year, down 1.2% from 2010. That’s the lowest number of miles since U.S. drivers logged 2.89 trillion miles in 2003.
Why the drop-off? Rising gas prices and a weak economy have prompted people to pinch pennies, putting the brakes on driving. It’s not just happening in cities, either. According to the study, travel on rural roads declined more than travel on city streets, but urban driving makes up two-thirds of all driving in the U.S.
So tell us, are you trying to drive less often?
Hellbent on finding a journalism job after earning an English degree from DePaul University, I stumbled into the automotive industry in 2003 — much to the delight of my Corvette-obsessed dad. After working as an editor at Consumer Guide Automotive for several years, I joined Cars.com in 2011 and am currently an expert reviewer, certified car-seat technician and mom of three. I wear a lot of hats — many of them while driving a minivan. My first car was a 1994 Mercury Tracer, and I currently drive a 2012 Mazda5.