No matter what kind of car you have, whether a svelte hybrid or a husky gas-guzzler, you can improve your gas mileage, save money, and reduce your impact on global warming just by changing your driving habits. Be relaxed while you drive; speeding, accelerating or breaking excessively can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 33%, costing you an extra $1.31 per gallon. Obeying the speed limit is an excellent way of ensuring that you do not waste gas. According to the EPA, you can consider every 5 miles per hour over 60 mph you drive is equal to paying an extra 30 cents per gallon. Another bad habit to break is undue idling.
The best way to look at it: idling gets 0 miles per gallon, says the EPA. Judicious use of the air conditioner (try to only use it when you’re going above 45 mph, when it’s actually better than having the windows open), taking advantage of cruise control, and avoiding extra cargo weight are all other ways to save gas. Very important also is keeping your car in good working order. Keeping the engine properly tuned through regular inspections and repairs can improve your mileage by an average of 4%. Even something as slight as ensuring your tires are filled to the correct weight can increase you mpg rating by 3.3%.
Just shifting your driving routine in these simple ways can have a significant impact on the amount of gas you use, saving you money and cutting your carbon emissions.
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Learn more about the many ways to improve your fuel economy with this informative site from the EPA .
Did you know that you can save nearly $1,000 per year by driving a more efficient car?
The EPA
reports that the difference between a car that gets 20 miles per gallon versus one that gets 30 miles per gallon is a savings
of $990, which is $4,950 in 5 years..
Did you know that 33% of United States carbon emissions come from the cars we drive?
Large cars
with poor gas mileage are the biggest culprits. The United States is also the world’s largest consumer of oil.
According to EcoBridge, if we are able to get an average of just 3 more miles per gallon, we will save a million barrels of
oil each day.
Did you know that Ford’s Model T from 1912 was more fuel-efficient than many of
today’s popular cars?
The Environmental Defense Fund points out that Ford’s landmark
early-1900s invention ran at a fuel economy of 28.5 miles per gallon. That is, amazingly, more efficient than many of the
cars you see on the road today
