Public transport in most Canadian cities isn’t the most reliable and convenient. Moreover, it isn’t even a viable option for a lot of people who don’t live near bus or subway stations. With car insurance rates going up over time, it is important to understand how your driving habits affect your monthly bills for maintaining and running your car. Here’s everything you need to know about the average mileage per year in Canada, how it affects your bills, and how you compare to other Canadian car owners.
What is the average mileage per year in Canada?
Today, over 84% of Canadians own a car and 37% own more than one vehicle. Lots of people have been moving outside of cities in Canada due to rising housing costs, which has further increased the average mileage per year over the years.
The average mileage per year in Canada was about 15,200 kilometres in 2008, according to Natural Resources Canada, and it has risen to over 18,000 in recent years. Canadians travelled over 390 B kilometres in total in 2018, and Labrador and Newfoundland top the list with over 18,000 kilometres travelled per year.
In comparison, Ontario was a bit lower on the list, with over 16,000 kilometres travelled.
How does your mileage affect your Car Insurance?
How far you live from your workplace and your average yearly mileage largely affect your car insurance quotes. Even if you travel to a train or bus station to then get to your workplace, the distance from your place to the station makes a difference. The logic: the more you drive, the more you are at risk of having an accident.
When getting a car insurance quote from a provider, there are other factors that matter too, such as your credit score and your postal code, but living close to your workplace is a huge advantage, especially with rising insurance costs. You can easily calculate your best insurance quote according to your personal driving habits and profile using our free tool.
At what distance do cars need to be replaced?
Cars can last up to 300,000 kilometres, but it’s not that simple. Where that car was being driven and how it was maintained also makes a difference in its condition. For example, a car that was mainly driven on highways will be in a better condition than one that was driven within the city, where drivers have to frequently stop, slow down, or change acceleration. This results in a lot of wear and tear in comparison, and assuming that there were no accidents, the car that was driven in the city will tend to be a bit more worn out.
Staying on top of your car maintenance, using a car with a good track record, and replacing parts on time largely help in improving the lifespan of a car. Here’s a good resource on tips regarding night-time driving safety.