Save Money On Gasoline And Move America To Energy Independence

When gasoline prices are high, nobody wants to be fuelish. High gasoline prices act like an additional tax on American families. According to the Department of Energy, passenger cars and light trucks account for almost 42 percent of U.S. oil consumption and are a major source of air pollution. By doing these simple things to reduce gas mileage, you can save money and help America reduce its dependence on foreign sources of oil.

Driving Tips

• Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage up to 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.

• Idle as little as possible-idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. You need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving away. Anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emissions.

• Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip.

Slow Down

• Avoid high speeds. Each five mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon for gas depending on the current price. Your equivalent gas savings will be from $0.12 to $0.82 per gallon.

• Use air-conditioning only when driving above 30 miles an hour.

Car Maintenance Tips

• Keep tires properly inflated and aligned and improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent.

• If the yellow (check engine) light is on, your car might need service.

• Start carpooling and using mass transit, plus arrange to telecommute.

• Get the junk out of the trunk; light cars use less fuel.

A vehicle that gets 30 mpg will cost you $750 less to fuel each year than one that gets 20 mpg (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.00/gallon). Over a period of five years, the 30 mpg vehicle will save you $3,750.

$ Long-Term Savings Tip

• Consider a fuel-efficient vehicle for your next purchase, such as a hybrid or flex-fuel vehicle, which are available in more models every year.

By: David Sanders

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For timely features about energy and fuel costs, visit www.energy.gov. For A-Z tips on car energy use, visit www.energysavers.gov and click on the "drivers" link. Carpooling, using mass transit and finding ways to telecommute can help save gas and money.