Learning to drive and maintain your car in a more economical way will have positive effects not only on the environment but also on your wallet. There are a few easy tips and rules which you can follow which will cut your fuel consumption and therefore your impact on the environment.
Before you drive
Driving economically begins before your key even enters the ignition, by making sure you vehicle is optimized to consume as little fuel as possible. Firstly you should make sure to remove any heavy objects from your car that are not going to be needed on your journey.
For example if you are a golfer and leave your golf clubs in your boot even when you are not planning on playing, you are adding unnecessary extra weight to your vehicle that will mean you have to use more fuel. This also applies to roof racks, bike racks or car seats that you are not needed.
Secondly is it vital to ensure that your tyre pressures are at the correct level, a check that you should be making at least once a fortnight. By ensuring that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure you will not only be improving your cars braking, acceleration and steering but also increasing the fuel economy of your vehicle – which over the course of the year will keep your saving accounts balance looking a bit more cheerful.
Keep in mind that these measures will provide slight adjustments to your vehicle’s emissions and fuel efficiency. Starting off with a fuel efficient vehicle will greatly improve the impact of your eco-friendly efforts, so consider a hybrid or another low emission vehicle when applying for a new or used auto loan.
One final point – before you open your car door – ask yourself this one important question: “does this journey really need to be drivenâ€. If you are planning a local journey consider walking or cycling instead, as it is these unnecessary short journeys that will account for your high consumption of fuel.
Whilst you drive
One of the most important things to remember when trying to drive economically is to try to stay as ‘smooth’ as possible. Avoid accelerating too quickly or stopping too suddenly, as this sort of driving means that your car will have to consume more fuel to get back up to speed again. So don’t forget to pull away gently and break more gradually to help save yourself money on petrol and save the environment at the same time.
Also make sure to avoid ‘idling’ such as running the car but staying still, or even waiting to go through a drive-thru restaurant, as this automotive dawdling actually wastes up to 10 times more fuel than simply turning off your car and restarting it again.
