An odometer is the instrument used to measure the distance traveled by a vehicle. National Odometer Day is celebrated to give people a chance to learn more about this fascinating device and to remind people to check the odometers of their vehicles and take better care of them. For making sure that the vehicles stay in a better condition for a long span of time, one should take care of them. With the information provided by odometers, one gets to know when their ride needs some servicing.

National Odometer Day is celebrated every year on May 12th.

The word 'odometer' is derived from two Greek words, 'Hodos' which means gateway or path and 'Metron', which means 'measure' in English. The odometer was originally invented to measure the distance horse-drawn vehicles were traveling all the way in the 1600s. The first odometer for an automobile was invented in 1903 by Arthur P. Warner and Charles P. Warner. It is now used in every vehicle from cars to airplanes and is a very important part of taking proper care of your vehicle.