U.S. Drove 13 Percent Fewer Miles in 2020

According to new preliminary estimates by the Federal Highway Administration, Americans drove 13 percent fewer miles in 2020 than in 2019. In urban areas, miles driven dropped by 14.1 percent, and there was an 11 percent drop in rural areas. In total, Americans drove 3.3 trillion miles in 2019 and 2.83 trillion miles in 2020. This decrease equates to an estimated 170 million metric ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

This drop in miles driven can be mostly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many Americans transitioned to working-from-home and travel decreased significantly. This significant decrease comes after six consecutive years of increases in vehicle miles travelled.

To read the Federal Highway Administration report, click here.