7th Jun 10
Tips for Saving Petrol
by Chas Parker
No Hard Acceleration
Accelerating is one of the easiest way to lose large amounts of fuel if done too quickly. Accelerating smoothly helps the vehicle to gain speed, unlike hard acceleration where the vehicle uses and wastes fuel gaining speed in a shorter amount of time. New drivers may be intimidated by other drivers causing them to accelerate to fast, but like everything else, learning how your vehicle handles will lead to smoother acceleration.
No Hard Braking
Braking is almost the same as acceleration – the harder you brake more fuel with be used. Coming off motorways, it’s very important to gradually decelerate to make sure you don’t crash into a vehicle stopped at traffic lights or stopping in the middle of a busy roundabout. A good way to lose speed when turning off a motorway is to brake firmly yet smoothly. If traveling in fifth gear, switching down to third, then second will produce a smoother stop when going from 70 mph to 10 mph.
Plan Your Route
This is an obvious way to save fuel. Occasionally you will need to take an unfamiliar route due to a vehicle accident, road works or some other matter. Plan your route to make sure you don’t get lost. If you find yourself on the wrong road, park in a safe place and check your map or Sat Nav if you have one to get back on track.
Stick to Proper Gears
Sticking to the correct gear helps not only with fuel consumption but longevity of the engine. Going up a steep hill in third or fourth gear rather than second gear will produce less power causing the engine to work harder. This could lead to a damaged engine or stalling of the vehicle.
Maintaining Speed
When driving on a motorway at least 30% more fuel is used than regular driving. Sticking to the speed limits will help not consume as much fuel. When driving at higher speeds, keep vigilant of all vehicles either moving into lanes or traffic being diverted – this gives plenty of time to brake and adjust your gears. Lazy driving on motorways is the easiest way to waste fuel, especially if you are not completely focused on what’s happening around you.
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