Improving personal fuel economy: driving tips

Drive sensibly

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer, so safe drivers save more than gas money.

Fuel economy benefit: 5 to 33%

Observe the speed limit

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph increase over 60 mph is comparable to paying an extra 25 cents per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Fuel economy benefit: 7 to 23%

Remove excess weight

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. Heavy loads take more energy to move, so carrying around excess weight will affect your mileage. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle can cut your mileage by up to 2 percent. The effect of added weight is more evident in small cars. Empty out your trunk and back seat of unnecessary items.

Fuel economy benefit: 1 to 2% per 100 pounds

Remove out-of-season roof racks

If you have a roof rack or roof carrier, install it on your vehicle only when you are going to use it. Take your ski rack off during the summer and fall. Use rooftop luggage boxes and racks only when you need the storage. Racks and boxes reduce the aerodynamic efficiency of your vehicle, increase drag and add weight, which eat into your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Fuel economy benefit:  5-20%, depending on rack and vehicle

Avoid excessive idling

Idling yields 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. Furthermore, idling for more than a few seconds is wasteful. Always turn off your vehicle when parked, even if it’s parked for a very short period of time.

The rule of thumb is 10 seconds: if your car will be idling longer than 10 seconds, you will use less gasoline to turn it off and then restart when it’s time to go.

Note: In Colorado, it is illegal (and unsafe) to leave a vehicle idling unattended without a driver behind the wheel.  

Use cruise control

Using cruise control on the highway vehicles maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. Using cruise control selectively saves even more.

In mountainous or hilly terrain, cruise control will typically force your vehicle to downshift and accelerate harder to maintain the preset speed on the uphill climb. It’s better to avoid using cruise control on inclines and instead drive with a gentle foot.

Use overdrive gears

When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Combine trips

Combining errands into one trip saves time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient, and can reduce the total distance you travel.

Fuel economy benefit: Combining three trips into one could save up to 66%

Commute smart

• Stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours
• Drive your most fuel-efficient vehicle
• Take public transit
• Take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs
• Consider telecommuting (working from home) if your employer permits it

Carpooling will cut your fuel costs and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters. Carpools can also use the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, which are typically less congested, further improving your fuel economy.

Fuel economy benefit: Carpooling with just one other person cuts total fuel consumption in half.

Buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle

Selecting which vehicle to purchase is the most important fuel economy decision you'll make. Thinking about buying a new vehicle? The website www.fueleconomy.gov has gas mileage estimates and more information for 1985-2009 model year cars.

The difference between driving a car that gets 20 mpg and one that gets 30 mpg amounts to $750 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3). That's a $3,750 difference in fuel costs over five years!           

The difference between driving a car that gets 20 mpg and one that gets 40 mpg amounts to $1,125 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3). That's a $5,625 difference in fuel costs over five years!