The time taken to drive one mile depends on the speed, the traffic you go through, and a few other factors. At the same time, the speed you travel generally makes the difference.
Therefore, the time taken to cover a mile is pretty easy to calculate. For example, if you are going at 60 miles per hour, you will cover sixty miles in one hour. This means you will be covering a mile every single minute.
You can cover one mile at speeds exceeding 70 or 80 mph. But on most American roads, including highways, going past 80 mph is illegal. The best speed limit is the one that is fuel efficient and safe.
You need to consider the safety of the car and the passengers before going at high speeds. Each state has decided on the maximum speed that can be reached on their roads
So, if you go past that, even if you do not meet with an accident, get ready for fines and other harsh penalties. In addition, depending on the severity of the crime, your car may end up getting towed.
How Much Time Does It Take to Drive 1 Mile?
Planning a road trip sounds like fun and I’m sure you’ll have a blast! How long one mile in minutes driving is depends on the speed you’re driving, though it can range from 3 minutes driving 20 mph to 55 seconds driving 65 mph.
Here are the driving times to drive a mile at various speeds:
- 60 mph means a mile covered every 1 minute.
- 50 mph means a mile covered every 1 minute and 12 seconds.
- 35 mph means a mile covered every 1 minute and 43 seconds.
- 45 mph means a mile covered every 1 minute and 20 seconds.
- 30 mph means a mile covered every 2 minutes.
- 25 mph means a mile covered every 2 minutes and 24 seconds.
- 20 mph means a mile covered every 3 minutes.
- 15 mph means a mile covered every 4 minutes.
- 65 mph means a mile covered every 55 seconds.
Calculating just how long it takes to travel 1 mile is simple. All you really need to know is your average speed. After that, things become much easier.
Since the speed is measured in miles per hour, the easiest way to go about it is to compare your average speed to a single hour. For instance, if you’re going 60 mph, you travel 60 miles in one hour. There are 60 minutes in one hour, so just divide the miles by that amount, and voila! It takes only one minute to travel 1 mile.
The roads, however, have different speed limits. They average at 25-60 mph, so include that in your calculation when figuring out just how long it takes for you to get to your desired destination.
Calculating The Wear And Tear
Even though there’re multiple things to consider here, you can group up the costs and simplify the process. Overall, it’s best to distinguish between five major ones: fuel, oil changes, new tires, other maintenance, unexpected repairs, and depreciation.
Fuel
Considering the recent inflation and gas prices in the US, fuel efficiency has become quite important. Not a single driver wants to pay lots of money for gas, so you should always anticipate how much you will spend out of your pocket.
Here you only need to determine your vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg). Many sources can provide you with this information, but there’s one small thing to consider. You will find three types of mpgs: city, highway and combined. From these, you should pick the one that applies to you the most.
When you’re done, just follow this simple formula: Average fuel price/mpg = cost per mile.
Oil Changes
It becomes a little more tricky with oil changes because it depends on the ride you have. Usually, you must do an oil change every 5,000-7,000 miles or so, but it’s best to figure it out in practice.
When you do, just divide the oil change cost by mileage.
New Tires
Unless you like to keep your auto in a garage, you should get a new set of tires after they wear out. Usually, most have a lifespan of 60,000 miles, so to determine cost per mile, just divide the cost by the number of miles it took for them to wear out.
Other Maintenance And Unexpected Repairs
This particular category is different for everyone and heavily depends on the age and condition of your vehicle. The more your mileage increases, the more likely your car will experience some sort of breakage or issue.
Here you would have to determine how much you pay for maintenance annually. Then, you should divide this number by the miles per year you travel.
Depreciation
Depreciation is how much you paid for the car over the life of its use. This factor is usually overlooked, but it greatly affects resale value.
To calculate depreciation, figure out the total cost of your vehicle (including any interest on loans), its trade-in value, and the number of miles you expect it to last.
The formula looks like this: (Vehicle cost- trade-in value)/ expected mileage = cost per mile.
After you’re done calculating, add up all these, and you’ll get the overall wear and tear per mile cost.
Final Thoughts
Before turning the ignition on, make sure you have the plan to reach the destination on time. In addition, each road, including state highways and otherwise, will have different speed limits.
For instance, by calculating the time taken for a one-mile drive, you can plan a road trip properly. You can distinguish roads to be careful about and when and where to take a break. At the end of the day, ensure you are within the speed limit and following all traffic rules.