Bad driving habits are sometimes dangerous and almost always costly in some way. This means that doing whatever you can to break your bad habits and become a better, more conscientious driver is a very good thing to do. You could even save yourself a decent amount of money on gas and car insurance quotes, so it’s worth considering.
Read on to find out about some bad driving habits that push up prices, and how to overcome them.
Reduce Fuel Consumption By Avoiding These Bad Driving Habits
Driving Too Fast
One of the worst bad driving habits is driving too fast. Not only is this sometimes illegal, depending on the speed limit – and therefore often dangerous – but it also means you end up paying more than you need to for gas.
This is because cars have certain speeds where they are more efficient than others, and too much rapid acceleration and driving at high speeds can mean you end up paying the price. Slow down, and you’ll be able to reduce fuel consumption!
Braking Too Often
Braking at the right time is, as you know, vital when it comes to driving. However, braking too often – or too late – can lead to you using more gas than you need to. This means that your miles per gallon rating won’t be as good as it should and you’ll end up paying more for your gas as a result.
This is especially a concern for bigger, more powerful cars that tend to be faster anyway, as it can also lead to your car insurance costs going up.
Not Maintaining Your Car
As well as actual bad driving habits, other habits related to your car can also push up the cost of driving. For instance, if you fail to maintain your car properly (such as by changing the air filter when required), you could lose fuel efficiency which will increase your gas expenditure.
You might also end up with major repair bills that could have been avoided.
Driving Alone
If you can, use a carpool to get to work. Driving alone means that you have sole responsibility not just for the driving, but the costs associated with it.
Joining a carpool scheme means you’ll be spending less and it’s also better for the environment as there will be fewer cars on the road.
Low Tire Pressure
The pressure of your tires is something else that has an impact on fuel efficiency. You should make sure your tires are properly inflated at all times so you get the most out of your gas consumption, as well as for safety reasons.
Low tire pressure can be dangerous as well as costing you more money.
Too Much In The Trunk
The heavier your car is, the harder it is to move and so the more gas it uses to get started. One common bad habit is to have far too much stuff in the trunk of the car, which weighs it down and increases fuel consumption unnecessarily.
Air Conditioning On High
The air conditioning is something else that can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 5% per MPG. Turning it down and opening the window wherever possible could save you a decent amount of money on gas.
By correcting these bad habits, you can reduce fuel consumption, and forget about foolish tactics like a gas boycott!
photo by digitalart
SO true. You can empty your tank just by braking too quickly or accelerating too fast. Not to mention it wear on your engine. Great tips!
My car has a readout you can display that shows you average MPG since you last reset. I always keep this up and keep note of changes either up or down that indicate poor driving. I’ll reset it every now and then when the number starts to level off.