Americans drive 13K miles per year

SANDUSKY — The U.S. is one of the most car-dependent countries in the world.The average American drove more than 13,400 miles in 2018, according to estimates provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration.The data found men ages 35 to 54 drove the most out of any demographic with an average greater than 18,800 miles a year. Women over the age of 65 drove the least amount with an average that was just more than 4,700 miles.The administration found combined Americans drove about 3.2 trillion miles in 2017, which set the record for most miles driven. The amount has steadily increased in recent years.Complete data for 2018, isn't available yet, but the in November the administration estimated the number of total miles for the year was on track to break the record for the third year in a row.The continued increase in driving among Americans has been linked to lower gasoline prices and employment rates, according to AAA.The Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2016 found 30 percent of jobs required driving of some sort. The jobs requiring the most driving included truck drivers, delivery drivers and police patrol officers.Truck drivers are limited to 70 hours of driving a week according to U.S. labor laws, but on average they drive 12,000 miles each month, according to Popular Mechanics.Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterA car passes through the intersection of Mall Boulevard and Milan Road (U.S. 250) on Monday, July 23, 2018. The Ohio Department of Transportation is studying each signal along U.S. 250 in Perkins Township in an effort to improve traffic flow.