Vehicles in Australia travelled 232.4 billion kilometres in 2012, enough to travel the circumference of the earth about 5.8 million times, according to figures from the ABS Survey of Motor Vehicle Use released today.

ABS Director of Transport Statistics, Sybille McKeown, said the survey has also revealed an increase in the number of registered vehicles.

“We saw an increase in the number of registered vehicles to 16.6 million in 2012 from 16 million vehicles registered in 2010,” Ms McKeown said.

“Approximately eight out of every 10 vehicles were passenger vehicles, accounting for 72 per cent of the total distance travelled.

“Business travel made up one third of all kilometres travelled, while travelling to and from work accounted for just under a quarter. More than half (53%) of all travel was within capital cities.

Articulated trucks were the biggest movers, travelling an average of 83,000 kilometres; over six times further than passenger vehicles," she said.

Further information is available in Survey of Motor Vehicle Use (cat. no. 9208.0)