Have you ever thought about how to get more out of your fuel or the impact you have on the environment by getting into your car and driving every day? Some of you may think about it often and some may not have thought about it at all, until now. Whatever your thinking here are a few tips on how you can be an eco driver and get more out of your tank.
Did you know that the way you drive and use your vehicle can have a huge impact on CO2 levels? It seems pretty simple, right? If you would like to save some money and lower your environmental impact, there are some pretty simple adjustments you can make. Whether you are in a commercial truck or hybrid vehicle, eco-driving techniques improve gas mileage.
Here are some easy ways to help keep you driving and saving green:
- Drive the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 55MPH. Every five MPH you drive over this speed is equivalent to paying an additional ten cents per gallon for gas.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly and smoothly. It’ll save you up to two miles per gallon.
- Be a friendly driver. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by five percent around town.
- Don’t sit and idle. Park your car and go into restaurants, banks, etc., instead of idling in drive-up lanes.
- Check the pressure. Under-inflated tires reduce fuel economy.
- Combine errands. In addition to cutting emissions, combining errands saves on gas.
- Be aerodynamic. If you have a choice between putting cargo on the top of your vehicles or inside, choose inside. Carrying items on the roof increases aerodynamic drag.
For more tips on how to save fuel when driving, see the US EPA website: www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/drive.shtml
Eco-Driving Tips
