Tips For Economical Driving

So you have finally passed your driving test and you are out on the road in your brand new car. It’s an amazing feeling, we’re sure you will agree, but you shouldn’t take it to mean that your learning experience has concluded.

Once you start paying for your own fuel you will soon discover just how costly driving can be if you aren’t careful. Happily, your friends at The Driving Force are here to give you a few tips on economical driving and how to use it effectively so you save on those fuel bills a little.

Check The Engine

One of the first things you should do when you get your first car, especially if you have bought second-hand, is get the engine checked and tuned-up. It’s an undesirable initial expense, we will grant you, but an inefficient engine could be costing you an enormous amount of fuel and that money will add up over time.

Consider Your Journeys

Yes, we know it’s exciting to have a car and be able to drive wherever you want, but be clever about it as well. Do you really need to jump into the car to drive around the corner for a bottle of milk? That’s waste money on fuel right there. If the journey is short enough, consider walking or riding a bike. Just because you have a car, doesn’t mean you need to use it for every single thing, especially if you want to save some cash.

Check The Weight

The heavier your car, the more fuel it takes to move it along. It’s pretty obvious when you think about it, but a lot of people ignore this fact. Make sure that you don’t pack more than you need into the vehicle. For example, an unused roof rack will add enormously to the weight and you will start to feel that burn in the amount that you’re spending on fuel if you aren’t careful.

Check Your Routes

Do you absolutely know where you’re going? It can be all too easy to rely on GPS to get you where you need to go, but those systems aren’t fool-proof and may lead you off the course that would be most efficient. Before any long journey you should check the route on a map and have a good understanding of where you need to go. Otherwise you may spend a ton of money getting lost and driving around in places you don’t want to be at.

Drive Smooth

Be careful and considered in your driving. Hard braking and sharp acceleration both cost fuel and are a little more dangerous to boot. Apply what you learned during lessons and don’t drive stupid.

Buy Smart

The final piece of advice is also probably the most obvious. Don’t buy a car that is known to be a fuel-guzzler if you want to enjoy the benefits of economical driving when you are on the road. Put the research in and make sure you know what you are letting yourself in for when it comes to the amount of miles you get to each gallon.