average car speed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "average car speed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the typical speed at which a car travels over a certain distance or time period. Example: "The average car speed on the highway during rush hour is significantly lower than during off-peak times."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Average car speed / Average walking speed.

European Transport Research Review

With v an average car speed, α the marginal value of a unit car time and m i the parking tariff.

European Transport Research Review

When comparing its services to UberPOOL, Waiser notes that the average cab speed in London is 11 mph – which sounds terrible except when you consider the average car speed is only 7 mph.

TechCrunch

Since, for instance, in French cities the average car speed was estimated to be around 16 m/h [45], we assume that this value represents a good estimate of the actual traffic situation in Antwerp (even though in big cities such as London the average speed can drop as low as 8 km/h [46]).

European Transport Research Review

There were a number of different parameters used during the simulation, which are listed as follows: the vehicle communication range was 240 m, and the average car speed varied from 80 to 120 km/h, with each individual car varying its speed between 5 to 10%%.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Road network data also contain codes for different classes of roads, average car speed and rules of the roads in order to calculate how long it would take to drive along a particular road segment [ 7].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The car, a two-seater with a price tag under $3,000 — about half the price of an average car at the time — was initially met with skepticism, particularly given its top speed of 26 miles an hour.

The New York Times

"These speed limits were set in the 1960s," Mr. Hammond said, when the speedometer on the average car only went up to 70 m.p.h.

The New York Times

"By contrast, car speed had no significant effect on FID, both when considering absolute car speed or the difference between car speed and speed limit".

Independent

H1: v > w Car speed is higher than walk speed.

European Transport Research Review

Fig. 3 Average CAR in the(−10,10 window.

International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing traffic patterns or urban planning, use "average car speed" to provide a clear, easily understood metric for congestion or efficiency.

Common error

Avoid using "average car speed" when describing instantaneous speed; instead, use terms like "current speed" or "real-time velocity" for accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "average car speed" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It typically acts as a subject or object in a sentence, referring to a calculated rate of vehicular motion. Ludwig's examples confirm its role in various contexts like urban planning and traffic analysis.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

38%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "average car speed" is a commonly used and grammatically sound noun phrase that functions to describe the typical speed of cars over a given distance or time period. As Ludwig highlights, it appears frequently in scientific, news, and media contexts, making it suitable for a wide range of discussions. While it's essential to use this phrase accurately, avoiding it in discussions of instantaneous speed, alternative phrases such as “mean vehicle velocity” or “typical vehicular speed” can be used to add variety to your writing. Overall, "average car speed" is a valuable term for analyzing traffic patterns and urban planning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mean vehicle velocity

Uses more formal synonyms for "average" and "car speed".

typical vehicular speed

Replaces "average" with "typical" and "car" with "vehicular", emphasizing general speed.

average speed of automobiles

Specifies "automobiles" instead of "cars", lending a slightly more formal tone.

average motor vehicle speed

Employs the term "motor vehicle" as a broader replacement for "car".

usual car velocity

Substitutes "average" with "usual" and "speed" with "velocity".

median car speed

Replaces "average" with "median", focusing on the central value rather than the mean.

average rate of car motion

Uses "rate of motion" to convey the idea of speed, providing a more descriptive alternative.

prevailing car speed

Replaces "average" with "prevailing" to indicate the most common speed under certain conditions.

average automotive speed

Substitutes "car" with "automotive", offering a slight variation in terminology.

general car speed

Uses "general" as a more informal replacement for "average".

FAQs

What does "average car speed" refer to?

The phrase "average car speed" refers to the typical rate at which cars travel over a certain distance or period, calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the total time taken.

How do you calculate "average car speed"?

To calculate "average car speed", divide the total distance traveled by a car by the total time taken to cover that distance. Ensure both distance and time are in compatible units (e.g., miles per hour or kilometers per hour).

What are some alternatives to "average car speed"?

You can use alternatives like "mean vehicle velocity", "typical vehicular speed", or "average speed of automobiles" depending on the context.

How does "average car speed" affect urban planning?

In urban planning, "average car speed" is a crucial metric for assessing traffic congestion and the efficiency of road networks. Low "average car speeds" often indicate the need for infrastructure improvements or alternative transportation solutions.