Eco driving, or green driving, is about improving the way you drive in order to reduce the negative impact of your vehicle on the environment. There are a number of small changes you can make to the way you maintain and drive your car and eco driving encompasses these.
The first part of eco driving is about how you look after your car in general. It is important, for example, to service your car regularly, ideally every year, in order to ensure that the vehicle is in full working order and therefore as efficient as possible. When inflating your tyres be careful not to under inflate them as this wastes fuel. If you drive to a garage to do this you could even slightly over inflate as the guidelines are based on cold tyres. Carrying unnecessary weight in the car increases fuel consumption so don’t use the boot as a storage place for a pushchair or set of golf clubs. Also, think about whether you really need to use your car for all journeys. Take a look at our sustainable transport page for some alternatives to short car journeys.
When it comes to the individual journeys eco driving can help your fuel consumption, reducing emissions and saving you money! Driving slower will certainly help as a car has 25% better fuel economy if driven at 50 miles per hour rather than 70, and braking and accelerating gently will also make a big difference. Try to use air conditioning as little as possible as this increases fuel consumption.
Planning your journey is another part of eco driving. Getting lost certainly uses more fuel, so plan ahead and also try to avoid traffic congestion if possible. You could also consider car sharing as a great way to save money and help the environment.
Eco driving is now part of the driving test in the UK, so pass these tips on to any future drivers too! More information can be found on the Directgov website.
Source: www.directgov.gov.uk & www.energysavingtrust.org.uk 2011
