While the Colonial Pipeline starts to get back up and running, many drivers in the southern states are trying to figure out ways to conserve the gas they currently have. Here Doug Yates Towing & Recovery discusses ways in which you can save gas and minimize your carbon footprint.
Proper vehicle maintenance improves vehicle fuel economy and reduces harmful emissions. Keeping your vehicle’s sensors in good working order is especially important. A faulty sensor can reduce fuel economy by as much as 40%, according to the EPA. Simply keeping your engine regularly maintained. This can save your gas consumption up to 4% in a single year.
Under-inflated tires tend to decrease mileage. According to the EPA, tires inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure can improve gas mileage by 0.6% on average and up to 3% in some cases. Every pound-per-square-inch decline in pressure below the recommended level equates to a 0.2% drop in fuel efficiency. You can find your vehicle’s recommended pressure in the owner’s manual.
Warm engines run more efficiently than cold ones. Combining short errands into one trip is an efficient way to save time, as well as gas. Reduce your total mileage by consolidating those errands whenever possible. Instead of hitting the grocery store today, the home improvement store tomorrow, and the post office the following day, set aside an afternoon to get them all done at once. This will decrease your fuel usage and carbon footprint.
While every vehicle is different, mileage decreases rapidly over 50 MPH in most cases. Assume that each increase of 5 miles per hour over that threshold works out to a surcharge of $0.17-$0.33/gallon burned (assuming price per gallon is roughly $2.38). To save gas, stay around the speed limit, and drive at a consistent rate of speed. The more you accelerate the more gas you burn over time.
Extra weight in the car creates a drag on the engine and consumes extra gas. Don’t haul around heavy loads if you don’t have to. Check the trunk and back of the vehicle for unnecessary items that may be safely stored elsewhere.
Idling uses a surprisingly fair amount of fuel. If you need to wait in your parked vehicle for more than a minute or two, switch off the engine and only start up again when you’re ready to continue driving.
The easiest way to conserve gas is to simply drive less. Another easy way is to carpool You’ll cut per-person fuel consumption in half when you share a ride. Ask friends and colleagues who live near you or frequent the same places you do to share a ride. You can split gas costs in as many ways as there are passengers.
The “Road Service” Division of Doug Yates Towing & Recovery, LLC has four fully equipped service trucks to help you out in times of need. If you find yourself stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery or ran out of gas, give us a call. Our trained professionals can have you back up and running in no time.
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