Getting ready for Holiday Driving? Here are Some Gas and Money Saving Tips

The Alliance to Save Energy has compiled a comprehensive guide for drivers who want to save gas and money.  Below is a list of 13 tips

Big tip: Avoid aggressive driving. Speeding, rapid acceleration and rapid braking can lower gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town.

Slow down. Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly above 60 miles per hour (MPH). DOE says each 5 MPH over 60 is like paying an additional 29 cents per gallon for gas.

Avoid excessive idling. Idling can waste a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use. But it only takes a few seconds’ worth of fuel to restart your engine, according to DOE.

Ditch the junk in the trunk. Remove unnecessary items from your vehicle. An extra 100 pounds in your trunk could reduce mileage by 2%.

Lose that loaded roof rack. Taking off your bikes, luggage and anything else you’ve been lugging around longer than needed can increase your fuel economy by 5%.

Use cruise control. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas and money.

Engage the overdrive gear. With overdrive gearing, your car’s engine speed goes down, saving gas and reducing engine wear.

Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

Beat the traffic. When possible, drive during off-peak hours to avoid stop-and-go or bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions, thereby reducing gas costs, time and stress!

Got more than one vehicle? Use the more fuel-efficient one.

Don’t drive solo.  Take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs to cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car. Many urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, which are typically less congested, further improving your fuel economy.

Tune up. Fixing a car that’s out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%!

Keep tires inflated. Properly inflated tires can improve mileage by up to 3.3%. Conversely, under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3% for every 1 psi drop in pressure in all four tires, according to DOE. In addition, proper inflation improves tire longevity and your safety while driving. DOE cautions not to go by the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall. Instead, find the proper tire pressure for your vehicle – it should be on a sticker on the driver’s side door jamb, in the glove box, and/or in your owner’s manual.