Fuel Saving Tips

Anyone who drives has noticed the unpredictable highs and lows of gasoline and diesel prices over the past few years. These changes are linked to the world wide cost of crude oil, with economic troubles and civil unrest throughout the world affecting supply and demand.

Our world’s demand for oil will continue to increase as it has in the past. We can all work together to reduce our use of crude oil and support domestic energy sources.

In the U.S., we produce 55% of all the oil and petroleum products we consume. The rest is imported, coming mostly from Canada. One way to enhance our nation’s energy security is to continue to diversify our sources of supply and become as self-sufficient as we can.

Crude oil is essential in our everyday life, and you don’t have to look any farther than the car you drive to work, to school or to the grocery store every day.

While we won’t cut our dependence on oil off completely in the near future, the little things we do to conserve our natural resources will help future generations.

Here are our top fuel-saving tips for drivers trying to be good to their environment, community and the money in their pocket:

1. Avoid abrupt starts and stops. Pace your driving to be slow and steady so you’re using your gas most efficiently.

2. Slow down. The faster you drive, the more gasoline your car uses. Driving 10 mph slower can increase your fuel economy by about 2 miles per gallon.

3. Turn off your air conditioner when you can. This can save up to 2 miles per gallon. When parked, park in the shade if possible. Roll down your windows a tiny bit so air can circulate through your car while you are parked.

4. Reduce weight. Empty out your trunk and remove heavy items you don’t need.

5. Have your car tuned regularly. An engine tune-up can improve fuel economy by about 1 mile per gallon.

To read more about what’s affecting our price of gas, and what you can do about it, check out the American Petroleum Institute’s article “What’s Up With Gasoline Prices?”