Drive Economically

Everyone needs to use a car from time to time, but gas can be expensive. Driving more economically can save you money and keep your car’s parts from wearing quickly. By avoiding aggressive driving, managing gears and electronics, and performing regular maintenance, you can drive more economically no matter where you’re going.

Steps

Avoiding Aggressive Driving

  1. Brake in a controlled manner. Braking quickly makes your car lose any forward momentum you’ve built up while driving. By braking gently and gradually, you may find that a stop light changes to green during your gradual approach, and you don’t need to stop completely at all. This slow and steady approach saves you fuel.[1]
  2. Accelerate smoothly. Taking off from a full stop and accelerating quickly requires your car move through progressive gears quickly. This uses a lot of gas.[2] Accelerating slowly and more steadily will require less of your car and save you money.[3]
  3. Minimize distractions. Whether you’re distracted by a phone call, music or your kids, distracted driving can cause you to brake abruptly and accelerate quickly. This burns lots of gas and is hard on your car. It can also make you more prone to a costly accident. Try to focus on the task at hand while driving and sideline loud music and phone interruptions.[4]
    • Distracted driving is more than just bad economics. It’s also dangerous. Take the safety of yourself and your passengers into account when you drive by giving the road your full attention.

Managing Gears and Electronics

  1. Use air conditioning wisely. At low speeds, using your air conditioning increases fuel consumption. Save your air conditioner for driving at higher speeds or roll your windows down to get a little air in a more economic way.[5]
  2. Cut down on electronics. Your car’s electronics, such as the headlights and window defrosters, require energy to run just as your car does. Turn off electronics when you aren’t using them to drive more economically. If certain electronic elements come on automatically when you start your car, see if you can disable those settings.[6]
  3. Use your gears effectively. Driving in a higher gear when appropriate can reduce fuel consumption and be more efficient for your car’s engine.[7] To that end, avoid changing through every intermediate gear as you drive. Skipping gears keeps engine speed and fuel consumption low during acceleration.[8] While this technique only applies to manual vehicles, it can save you gas money and help you drive more efficiently.[9]
    • Several online tutorials can teach you to do this safely if you’re new to the technique.

Performing Routine Maintenance

  1. Check your tire pressure regularly. Keeping your tires at the high end of the recommended tire-pressure range creates less resistance as you drive. This saves you fuel and money. You might also consider having your tire alignment checked to ensure your car is running straight and efficiently.[10]
  2. Use the right specification of engine oil. Providing your car with the specific engine oil it requires can decrease engine friction. This will help your car function most efficiently, saving you fuel and money. You can find out what particular oil your car requires by reading the owner’s manual.[11]
  3. Get your car serviced regularly. Take your car to a good local mechanic to have it examined. Getting your car serviced regularly keeps all of its parts in good working order. When all parts of your car are clean and working optimally, your car will perform its best.[12]

Planning Your Trip

  1. Pack light. Bringing extra luggage or hauling large items requires more gas to get your car from place to place. Drive more economically by managing the load on your vehicle.[13]
  2. Map your journey. Getting lost certainly won’t do anything for your fuel economy. Plan your trip ahead of time if you’re going somewhere unfamiliar. Bringing a phone with a mapping app or GPS can make your driving more efficient.
  3. Carpool when possible. Carpooling saves gas and shares the burden of driving. Organize a carpool with a friend to places you visit frequently, such as work or school, to cut down on costs. You’ll also save your car from more wear and tear.
  4. Combine errands. Rather than making lots of short trips, try to combine errands to save gas. This requires your car to start “cold” less frequently, which saves you fuel and money. It can be helpful to plan out the errands you have to do in a given week, so you can see what can be combined into one trip.

Related Articles

References

  1. ↑ https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/consumer/how-to-drive-economically/
  2. ↑ https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/consumer/how-to-drive-economically/
  3. ↑ [v161191_b01]. 18 November 2019.
  4. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/researchers-came-up-with-a-price-tag-for-bad-driving/2016/10/15/a398e64c-8749-11e6-ac72-a29979381495_story.html?utm_term=.539dc7aa5521
  5. ↑ http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/drive-smart
  6. ↑ http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/drive-smart
  7. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2752696/Economy-driving-How-to-cut-your-fuel-costs.html
  8. ↑ http://www.caranddriver.com/features/battle-high-gas-prices-tips-to-boost-your-fuel-economy-driving-habits-continued-page-3
  9. ↑ https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/consumer/how-to-drive-economically/
  10. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2752696/Economy-driving-How-to-cut-your-fuel-costs.html
  11. ↑ http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/drive-smart
  12. ↑ http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/drive-smart
  13. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2752696/Economy-driving-How-to-cut-your-fuel-costs.html
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