Letter to the Editor:
With no end in sight to high gas prices, consumers can take control of how they drive their vehicle to get more miles per gallon. The Car Care Council recommends the following ways to drive smart and save money:
• Combine errands in one trip and get good directions before you head out to minimize driving unnecessary miles.
• Lighten the load by getting stuff out of the car, including the trunk, with the exception of important emergency items such as a spare tire, flares and a first-aid kit. Items that are not needed weigh the vehicle down, causing an increase in gas usage.
• Stay within the speed limit and use cruise control on the highway. Gas mileage usually decreases when going over 60 miles per hour (mph).
• Avoid aggressive driving. Your driving behavior has a lot to do with fuel economy and sudden stops and starts and rapid acceleration decrease your vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg).
• Check the condition of the gas cap. Approximately 17 percent of vehicles on the road have loose, damaged or missing gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
• Don’t idle your vehicle and go inside instead of waiting in long lines at the drive-through window to avoid wasting gas.
In response to reports that gas is being stolen from vehicles, the council recommends that drivers park in well-lit and highly traveled areas and consider using gas caps that lock to help prevent this crime.
Performing simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance can also save big money at the pump, perhaps as much as $1,200 per year, while improving a vehicle’s safety and dependability. In fact, according to the survey by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association.
To help you make the most of your gas dollars, visit the Car Care Council’s Web site at 75 percent of drivers said they are maintaining their vehicles better because of rising gas priceswww.carcare.org to order a free copy of the 60-page Car Care Guide designed to help you save money, conserve energy, improve highway safety and help protect the environment.
Sincerely,
Rich White
Executive Director
Car Care Council
7101 Wisconsin Ave.,
Suite 1300
Bethesda, MD 20814-3415
Phone: 301-654-6664
