Guide to Safe Driving
Save gas and Money
With gas prices as they are, getting the most out of gallon of gas is becoming an essential skill. Getting more out of a tank of gas will have an economic thrust for American drivers if prices at the pumps keep going up. Motorists can add 20 percent to the life of a tank of gas with a few simple adjustments to driving habits and auto maintanace.
- Under inflated tires can cut fuel economy by up to two percent per pound of missing pressure. That means if your ties are just 5 pounds under inflated, you are losing at least 10% in gas mileage! Check your tire pressure at least once a month.
- Carrying a heavy load of unnecessary items in the trunk can increase the fuel needed for daily trips. Rather than store things in your car, load them only when you are going to need them.
- When caught in heavy traffic, don't let your engine idle for more than a minute. Idling consumes half-a-gallon to one gallon of gas per hour and wastes more fuel than restarting the engine.
- If your car is parked in the sun, roll the windows down and let the hot air escape during the first few minutes of driving before you turn on the air conditioner.
- Be aware that roof racks and cargo holders produce drag and can drastically affect your mileage. Take them off until you need to use them.
Links to...
Safe Driving Teen Driving
Defensive Driving
Road Emergencies
- Slowing down the pace of driving can slow down the drain on fuel. Jack rabbiting through traffic will deplete a tank of gas much faster than a steady pace. Regardless if you have a computer controlled injection system or a carburetor, quick starts and stops will waste fuel.
- Speed costs! Mileage drops increasingly above 55 and even more as you go over 70. A steady and reasonable speed with traffic will do wonders for your mileage.
- On long trips use cruise control. A steady pace uses less gas. If you have more than one vehicle, use the most fuel-efficient vehicle for the majority of your driving. Go a step further and consolidate small trips into one by shopping ahead online or through newspaper and magazine ads to pinpoint your shopping destinations. Logistics are a essential part of over the road trucking and you can be just as effective with your stops by thinking ahead like the pros do.
- When you are looking for deals on gas, remember that you can save almost 24 cents a gallon by filling up at the self-serve rather than the full service pump. Don't feed your car mid-grade or premium gas unless it is recommended in your owner's manual or to prevent knocking in an older vehicle. A higher grade of gas rarely is needed for any stock vehicle manufactured in the past 20 years
- Replace your oil with a synthetic or synthetic blend. While they are usually more expensive than conventional oils, they last longer and increase mileage beyond the added cost.
- Replace your spark plugs after 15,000 miles or every year. Standard plugs are relatively inexpensive. You can even consider upgrading to the platinum or hybrid plugs to see if you can get an additional boost in mileage and pickup.
- Dirty air filters also increase your vehicle's thirst by as much as 20% (for real dirty ones). A good rule of thumb is to look at it up to light. If you cannot see the light brightly through the filter, it is time to change.
- Periodically calculate the vehicle's fuel economy performance. A loss of fuel economy could mean mechanical trouble.
