Being a “speed demon” on the road can actually be quite the embarrassment these days. Not only are you putting yourself and your passengers in potential danger, you are also thumbing your nose at fuel conservation.
According to www.fueleconomy.gov, 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.
You can assume that each five mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.28 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.
Here are some more ps to help you conserve fuel on your daily commute or when travelling:
• Avoid aggressive driving behaviors, such as quick starts and hard stops—that can increase your fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent;
• Don’t idle—idling for more than 60 seconds uses more fuel and produces more CO2 compared to restarting your engine;
• Use cruise control—on dry, flat, wide-open highways, use cruise control to help improve fuel efficiency by maintaining an even and steady speed; Take the most fuel-efficient route—routes with fewer stop lights and less traffic may use less fuel than shorter routes with more stop lights and heavy traffic;
• Measure your re pressure once a month—under-inflated res by eight pounds per square inch can increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption by up to four per cent;
• Calculate your mileage—set your trip odometer every me you fill up and challenge yourself to go farther and farther on each tank of fuel.
