When you drive more sensibly, there can be a world of benefits. Not only can you save lives from accidents, but you can save on gas too. When you save on gas, it means more money in your pocket. There are simple tips that can add up to savings worth weeks of groceries or other needs for you and your family. Just by simple changes like slowing down, braking carefully and slowly, and trying not to change lanes erratically, you will waste less gas in your vehicle. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Aggressive driving doesn’t mean that you are out to get somebody, it is simply speeding, rapid acceleration, and unnecessary braking.
Other driving habits, such as idling, wastes fuel, gets you nowhere, and produces unnecessary greenhouse gases. If you’re going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn off the engine. In winter, don’t idle a cold engine for more than 30 seconds before driving away. Other non-agressive driving habits also waste fuel. Under-inflated tires can cause fuel consumption to increase by as much as 6%. Check tire pressure at least once a month, when the tires are ‘cold’ (i.e. when the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours or for more than a mile). Change up through the gears and into top gear as soon as possible without accelerating harder than necessary. Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel and so does letting the engine labor in top gear on hills and corners. Using a vehicle’s air conditioner on a hot summer day can increase fuel consumption as much as 10% in city driving. Premium, high-octane fuels aren’t necessarily the best choice for your car; higher price doesn’t guarantee better performance. In fact, such fuels don’t provide any greater fuel efficiency. Many cars are designed to use regular low-octane fuel. Check your owner’s manual to see what your car requires. These are just some of the driving habits that we can change to save more gas!
According to fueleconomy.gov, while every vehicle has as unique optimal fuel economy speed range, gas mileage typically decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 miles per hour. For every 5 mph over 60 mph, it’s like paying an additional $0.28 per gallon for gas! They also advise motorists that idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked. It only takes a few seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle. Turning your engine on and off excessively, however, may increase starter wear. Also, driving habits like using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
However, extreme aggressive driving is also on the roads, probably not the type of driving we are discussing in this article. At least 1,500 men, women, and children are seriously injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of senseless traffic disputes and altercations. Driving under control yet aware of your surroundings and staying calm on the roadways can help you ensure a safer driving experience and more gas savings that can help anyone during these hard economic times.
