How to Save Gas While Driving (8 hacks)

If you stay conscious of fuel efficiency, you can save gas while driving every day. You’ll spend less money and less time at the gas pump. In this video, automotive editor and writer Rik Paul shares fuel-efficient driving tips.

1) Keep your tires properly inflated. As your tire pressure lowers, so does your fuel economy by 5-10%. It’s easy to check them yourself or you can have a shop do it in minutes.

2) Be aware of highway speeds and don’t drive too fast. AAA estimates that 50 miles per hour is the best speed for fuel efficiency. If you go much beyond that, you’re just wasting gas.

3) Don’t carry things on top of your car. Today’s cars were designed to be as aerodynamic as possible. Carrying large items on roof racks creates extra wind resistance and aerodynamic drag, lowering your mpg.

4) Unload anything you don’t need from your car. It just consumes extra gas and decreases your fuel efficiency. Unload anything you don’t need. An extra 100 pounds of excess weight can increase fuel consumption, costing you about 4-5 cents per gallon.

5) Don’t leave your car idling for long periods of time. You’ll get 0 mph while idling. Idling can use up to a half gallon of gas per hour. That’s an extra 2-4 cents per gallon.

6) Combine errands into one trip. Plan ahead and use the most fuel-efficient route. Your car’s engine is most efficient when it’s warmed up, so short trips can waste gas. Combine errands and cut down on unnecessary miles. It’s also worth adjusting your driving habits to avoid stop-and-go traffic when you can.

7) Avoid rapid acceleration and braking. Try to drive smoothly coming out of those red lights and stop signs. Aggressive driving can waste 25-30% of your fuel economy.

8) Keep your vehicle running at peak efficiency. Have your servicing and tune-ups done on schedule.

Read more about how to save money on gas here:

0:00 Intro
0:11 Keep tires properly inflated
0:21 Don’t drive too fast
0:31 Keep the top of your car free
0:44 Don’t carry excess weight
0:55 Don’t leave your car idling
1:07 Combine errands in one trip
1:15 Avoid hard acceleration
1:23 Have tune-ups and servicing on schedule

[ClaudiaKirkland-po]

I have figured out that our roads are set to between 25-29 mph. if you hit a green light and you keep that speed you can drive anywhere from one place in town to another. But there are always people behind and around me who race from one red light to the other sharply breaking, and sometimes having to change lanes because they can't break in time. I have seen a few close calls. What I don't understand is when they can see that the light is red on the next block, they are going above the speed limit and expect it to be green when they get there. Doesn't make sense. I stay in the slow lane at 27-29 mph. I have a Prius and get 390 miles to a tank of gas. I go to the pump maybe every other month. Why is everyone in such a hurry?