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CONSERVATION CORNER
(For the week of September 8, 2008)
Energy Saving Tips For Driving
by James L. Cummins

With today's high gasoline and diesel prices, more people are learning ways to save money while driving their vehicles. If we practice the following tips, it will help our pocketbook as well as our environment.

First and foremost, learn to drive more slowly. (I need to work on this myself.) Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly when you drive above 60 mph. You should avoid hard braking and sudden stops. Using cruise control on highway, interstate or long trips will cut fuel consumption because the vehicle is maintaining a steady speed. Rapid acceleration causes an increase in your gasoline usage.

Keeping the engine properly tuned can improve mileage by an average of 4 percent. Replace air and fuel filters regularly as instructed by your vehicle’s maintenance manual. This will not only improve your gas mileage but will keep impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Another 3 percent improvement in mileage can be obtained by keeping the tires properly inflated and aligned. This is very important to check before taking any road trips. These are small items, but they can help.

Try to avoid using roof racks and remove them from the vehicle when they are not in use. They can decrease your fuel economy by up to 5 percent. Also remove extra weight from the trunk. An extra 100 pounds can cut your fuel economy by 2 percent. Reduce the use of your air conditioner at low driving speeds. When driving over 40 mph, using the air conditioner uses less fuel than having windows open. However, operating the air conditioner on “max” can reduce your miles per gallon by 5 to 25 percent.

When driving around town, you can combine errands to reduce the number of trips. Several short trips will use twice as much fuel than a longer multipurpose trip. For any stop you expect to last more than a minute, shut off your engine rather than letting it idle. Park in the shade and/or leave windows slightly open to reduce the need for air conditioning. Carpooling is another way you can save money and gasoline.

Lastly, calculate your car's gasoline mileage periodically by dividing the total miles on a tank by the number of gallons needed for a fill up. A decline in mileage can be an early indicator of mechanical problems or a need for servicing. You can also save money by not using mid-grade or premium grade gasoline unless specified for your vehicle.

For more information on this subject, visit www.drivesmarterchallenge.org.