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Save Money On Gas, Improve Fuel Economy, and Reduce Your Car CO2 Emissions
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Use These Simple Tips on How to Save on Gas with Eco Driving Techniques
The price of gas is always a hot topic, or sore one, depending on how you look at it. To save on gas, improve fuel economy, and reduce the CO2 emmisions from your car, you can perform these simple tips we’ve found at Eco Driving USA. You’ll notice that Eco Driving doesn’t require any major changes in your driving behavior; it’s about small changes that add up. Here are a few of my favs, but you can check out the entire list by following the Eco Driving link.
- Avoid rapid starts and stops: “Rapid starts and stops, often called ‘jack rabbit’ starts and stops, use fuel and costs money at the gas pump. Gentle acceleration and braking can save more than $1 per gallon, according to the U.S. EPA, because smart driving can improve fuel economy by up to 33%. A few seconds of high-powered driving can use as much gas as driving for several minutes at more measured speeds. Ease into accelerations and brake smoothly, especially around corners, to raise your mileage the most. Avoid tailgating. When Eco Drivers™ avoid rapid starts and stops, they are not only practicing safe driving habits, but they’re also reducing the energy required to get the vehicle moving again.”
- Ride the Green Wave: “Traffic lights are often synchronized so that a motorist driving at a specific speed will pass through a series of green lights without stopping. Driving more quickly means you arrive sooner at a light and need to stop. Engineers optimize the traffic light timing to reduce congestion and improve traffic slowly. A steady speed often can help drivers avoid red lights, therefore keeping the car moving more efficiently.”
- Use Cruise Control: “During highway driving, cruise control helps maintain a steady speed. According to a test conducted by Edmunds.com, cruise control can provide a 7% average fuel savings, compared to driving without the device operating. These benefits come largely from driving on flat terrains, according to Edmunds. Cruise control maintains a constant vehicle speed. If you are driving on hilly roads, cruise control may cause your engine to speed up on climbing hills and slow down on the other side, reducing mileage, so use cruise control selectively. Using cruise control on 10,000 of the miles driven in a year could save you nearly $200 and save more than 60 gallons of fuel, according to the Department of Transportation (assuming $3 a gallon for fuel, 20 MPG, and 15,000 miles driven annually).”
- Obey Your Check Engine Light: “Today’s automobiles have sophisticated onboard diagnostics (OBD) systems that continually monitor the operation of your vehicle. When the OBD alert light comes on, there is the possibility that your emissions are increased and your fuel economy is going down. An example would be if the oxygen sensor has failed and the engine controller goes to a default setting – increasing fuel consumption. Replacing a faulty oxygen sensor could result in a fuel economy improvement of as much as 40%. When the OBD light goes on, see your auto dealer for more information.”
The site also has a nifty carbon footprint calculator you can use. Soon, you’ll be on your way to reduced fuel use, reduce CO2 emissions, and more money in your pocket rather than in your tank.
