Eco driving is good for the planet and good for your wallet too. Here are ten easy-to-implement tips for eco driving and, by carrying them out, you could make an overall fuel saving of 15% or more.
- Drive smoothly by anticipating road conditions – be kind to the planet, your car, and your passengers by decelerating smoothly. Anticipate what’s happening ahead of you and, if you’re going to have to stop or slow down, ease off on the throttle as early as possible rather than brake at the last moment.
- Drive at a steady speed in as high a gear as possible – keeping at a steady speed (and not accelerating or braking unless you have to) will help reduce your car’s fuel consumption.
- Move to a higher gear as soon as possible – driving at a lower engine speed will also help reduce your car’s fuel consumption.
- Drive a bit slower than normal – driving too fast is dangerous and uses more fuel. Make sure you keep within the speed limit, but for most cars 45–50mph is the most efficient speed. Over that, the faster you go, the more fuel you use.
- Keep your tyres at the recommended pressure – driving with your tyres at the correct pressure will help them grip the road better and also use less fuel.
- Close your windows when driving at high speeds – driving with your car windows open at over 50mph causes an aerodynamic drag on your car and can increase your car’s fuel consumption.
- Switch off your air conditioning – using your air conditioning means your car’s engine has to work a little harder and use more fuel; so only use it when you really need to and, remember, if you’re driving at less than 50mph you can open your windows.
- Turn off your engine if you’re not moving for a while – you’ll be surprised at how much fuel you can save by simply switching off your engine when you’re stuck in traffic, waiting at a level crossing, or waiting for someone to get in.
- Remove your roof rack when you’re not using it – removing an empty roof rack or roof box on your car improves its aerodynamics and uses less fuel.
- Remove unnecessary heavy loads from your car – removing any heavy items from your car (whether its garden chairs or golf clubs) on journeys that you don’t need them will help to reduce your car’s fuel consumption and save you money.