Driving one mile takes different amounts of time based on speed, traffic, and a variety of other factors. Regardless, the speed at which one travels is usually the greatest determining factor.
Time is not challenging to calculate when determining the mile mark. An example would be driving 60 miles per hour, you will travel sixty miles in an hour. This indicates that your pacing would allow you to cover a mile in one minute.
One mile can be achieved at a pace surpassing 70 or 80 mph. However, the majority of American roads, such as highways, do not permit lacking below 80 mph. The best speed limit allows safe and fuel-efficient limits.
Before hitting higher speeds, a consideration of passenger and car safety has to be made. Each particular state has jurisdiction over the motor vehicle speed limits that are permissible on the roads.
Without an accident, surpassing the limits would make you liable to fines and harsh penalties. Depending on how severe the violation is, your automobile might be forcibly taken.
How Much Time Does It Take to Drive 1 Mile?
Sounds like you’re trying to plan a road trip! The driving time for one mile differs drastically based on speed. At 20 mph, it takes approximately 3 minutes, while at 65 mph, it reduces to about 55 seconds.
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.
In the end, calculate how long it will take you to get to your destination. All you need is your average speed!
Because speed is calculated in miles per hour, it makes sense to compare average speed to an hour. For example, if you are going 60 mph, you will not travel 60 miles in 60 minutes.
There’s a simple calculation to find how many miles can be traveled in a minute: divide by 60. And there you go! It takes 1 mile to travel in one minute.
Different regions have different speed limits. The limits for roads range from 25 mph to 60 mph, so keep that in mind before calculating how long it may take you to reach your desired destination.
What Is The Optimal Speed for a One-mile Drive?
The described optimal speed guarantees the proper operation of the vehicle while minimizing greenhouse emissions, air pollution, and gas consumption. For example, the ideal speed for a one-mile trip is between 55 mph and 65 mph. Higher speeds lead to increased fuel expenditure.
In addition, greater fuel consumption further stretches the limits on the emissions being released into the atmosphere. Moreover, these factors, alongside everything else, will also decrease the lifespan of the car engine.
The speed limit that allows for maximum fuel economy is the most efficient for travel. This results in the desired outcome that the car will operate correctly, consume less fuel, and reduce gas emissions. A one-mile trip should also ideally take between 55 and 65 mph. Everything consumes more fuel when the car is revved up.
Additionally, higher speeds may lead to a loss of car control. On snowy or rubble-covered roads, this poses a risk not only for the car tires but can also cause a multitude of accidents.
Lowered Speed for Reduced Wear and Tear
However, taking into account the wear and tear of your car is not as straightforward.
In general, you might have to do several options as listed below:
- Replace broken lamps and turn signal lights
- Remove superficial scratches and scuffs from the surfaces
- Address stains on the seats and other parts of the cabin
- Handle the wear on the tires
- Take care of the small scratches on the wheel rim covers
All of these could make a dent in your wallet, therefore, it is advisable to try to plan these expenses ahead of time, per mile driven.
Figuring Out The Costs Related To Wear And Tear
Even though there are a wide variety of things that should be taken into consideration, grouping some expenses is a good approach. In general, these can be categorized into five groups: fuel, maintenance, oil change, new tires, other necessary maintenance, unexpected fixes, and depreciation.
Fuel
With recent inflation in addition to the ever-increasing prices of gasoline in the United States, being fuel economical is crucial. Indeed, no driver would take the risk of overspending on a gas-weary car, which means having to gauge how much you’ll pay in the future.
In this case, you only need to find your vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg). This information can be obtained from multiple sources, but there is one small catch to consider. You will encounter three types of miles per gallon calculations: city, highway, and combined. You should choose the one that best fits your situation.
Just follow this simple formula afterwards: Average fuel price/mile per gallon = cost per mile.
Oil Changes
This becomes a little more complicated with oil changes, as it depends on the ride you have. Typically, you should perform an oil change every 5,000-7,000 miles, but it’s best to figure it out empirically.
When you do, simply divide the oil change cost by mileage.
New Tires
If you do not intend to keep your auto parked in a garage, you ought to replace the old tires with new ones after wear and tear. Most of them have a mileage expectancy of about 60,000. So, to determine cost per mile, you just divide the cost of new tires by the mileage at which they wear out.
Other Maintenance And Unplanned Repairs
This category is unique for everyone based on their particular vehicle’s age, condition, and, for some, their personal preferences. With higher mileage, the probability of a vehicle experiencing some form of breakage or issue increases quite significantly.
Here, it would be necessary to calculate the total expenditure on maintenance per annum. After that, the figure obtained will have to be divided by the mileage per annum that you drive.
Depreciation
Depreciation is defined as the monetary amount that you expended to acquire the car, with the number of uses it received. Usually, this is considered less important, but in actuality, it alters the resale value quite a lot.
Calculating depreciation requires identifying the total costs incurred to purchase the vehicle (along with the interest incurred on the loan), the trade-in value of the vehicle, and the mileage you expect the vehicle to run.
The calculation can be done using this formula: (Vehicle cost- trade-in value)/ expected mileage = cost per mile.
At the end of the calculations, add everything together, and that will amount to the cost of wear and tear per mile.
Final Thoughts
Before starting the engine, ensure that there is a predetermined plan for reaching the target location within the required timeframe. Every road, including state highways and other types, has distinct speed limits.
As an example, estimating the duration of driving one mile can help in appropriately scheduling a road trip. You can identify any roads that may pose potential risks, as well as the times when rest should be taken. Ultimately, remember to adhere to the speed limit as well as observe all other laws governing the road.