Ten tips for low-energy driving

For many of us, cars are indispensable, even though they are not the most earth-wise form of transport. If you can’t do without one, you can easily modify your driving habits to cut your fuel consumption. In the process, you will significantly lessen your car’s impact on the environment.You’ll also be surprised at the savings you can make.

Ten tips for low-energy driving

1. Always try to drive smoothly. Avoid accelerating and braking unnecessarily and use your gears to help you slow down. Speeding up and slowing down (between traffic lights, for instance) wastes fuel. To drive smoothly, you need to become more alert to road conditions and anticipate traffic flow. If you can work out what’s about to happen on the road ahead, you won’t be caught by surprise.

2. Leave a reasonable distance between your car and the vehicle in front. If the other car changes its speed, you should have enough space and time to take your foot off the accelerator and slow down without breaking, or to accelerate gently and smoothly to keep up with traffic flow.

3. To avoid either braking or accelerating sharply, which wastes fuel, pretend there’s an egg between your foot and the pedals – doing so will help you to press on them more gently.

4. If your car is a manual, shift up through the gears as soon as possible to avoid the coughing or chugging sound that indicates the engine is strained. Driving in top gear is much more economical than driving in a lower gear.

5. On a long stretch of road, use overdrive if you have it.This top gear (usually the fifth) enables the drive shaft to turn faster than the engine crankshaft, thus allowing the engine to run more slowly. This will in turn save fuel and reduce engine wear and noise.