While politicians and consumers are bemoaning gasoline price increases, there?s no immediate relief in sight.
“But there are choices people can make to save on gas,” said Brad Heavner, state director for the Maryland Public Interest Group, a nonprofit environmentaladvocacy group.
Here are some practical steps anyone can take to soften the blow of skyrocketing gas prices, according to Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc., an Arlington research firm.
» Avoid aggressive driving. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money. This change in driving habits could translate into gasoline savings of 14 cents to 92 cents per gallon.
» Drive slower. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 19 cents per gallon for gas.
» Remove excess weight from your car. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle?s weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. This can save you from 3 cents to 6 cents a gallon.
» Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
» Use cruise control. On the highway, cruise control helps you maintain a constant speed, which conserves gas.
