Driving More Efficiently

• Drive Sensibly (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money. Fuel Economy Benefit:
  5-33%
  Equivalent Gasoline Savings:
  $0.15-$0.98/gallon

• Observe the Speed Limit - While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
  
  As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.
  
  
  
  Observing the speed limit is also safer.

• Remove Excess Weight -Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.


• Avoid Excessive Idling Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.


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


• Use Overdrive Gears When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
  
  Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $2.97/gallon.
  
  Data Sources


• Use your air conditioner sparingly because your engine has to power the air conditioner compressor. By using the air conditioner, you can increase your fuel consumption by 10% on the highway, and up to 20% in stop and go traffic.

• - Many major gas companies or retail and department chain stores offer a percentage discount from your gas bill if you purchase gas on their credit card. Usually they will give you between 5 cents to 15 cents per gallon (depending on the total quantity purchased over a month). This can really add up at the end of the month. Just inquire the next time you are filling up at your favorite service station.


• - Save up to 1.5% by removing unnecessary items from the car (commonly in the trunk). For every 100 pounds in extra weight, the car eats up 0.5% more gas.


• - If you have a carbureted engine, a poorly tuned car can use 5-9% more gas then normal.


• - Save up to 4% by taking your snow tires off as soon as it is safe to do so.


• - You can save up to 5% by removing roof racks that create wind drag.


• - Use premium multi-grade oils to save up to 5% on your fuel consumption. Friction modified oils can improve your mileage. Use low viscosity oil in the winter, like SAE 5W30 or 10W30. Also, start using EC (Energy Conserving) or EC II grade oils. EC oil reduces fuel consumption by up to 1.5 - 2.7%.


• - Try to conserve the car's momentum. It takes 600% more gas to move a car from a dead stop compared to one that has a couple mph's momentum. By observing traffic conditions and maintaining a reasonable distance from the car ahead of you. This will reduce braking and allow you to keep the car's momentum. The gas it takes to accelerate from 0-35 mph in half a city block could have carried you a half a mile at 35 mph. Simply getting out of poor driving habits can save 10-25% in fuel expenditures.