fueltips

             TIPS FOR BETTER FUEL ECONOMY AND SAFETY

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS.   IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT,   YOUR CHANCES ARE MUCH BETTER IF YOU AREN'T THOWN AROUND LIKE A RAGDOLL, OR THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE ENTIRELY.

The most common driving error of most people is to not leave adequate following distance, thus having too little time to react and avoid trouble.

STAY BACK.    FOLLOWING CLOSELY MEANS YOU MUST REACT TO OTHER DRIVERS.   EXTRA FOLLOWING DISTANCE ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE CHANGES AT A MORE LEISURELY PACE, INCREASING SAFETY AND LESSENING STRESS.

STAY BACK.    AS YOU NEED TO PASS SLOWER TRAFFIC, THE EXTRA SPACE ALLOWS YOU TO DOUBLE CHECK BEFORE CHANGING LANES.   ON TWO LANE ROADS,   EXTRA FOLLOWING DISTANCE ALLOWS YOU TO SEE AROUND THE ONE IN FRONT EASIER, AND TO GAIN SPEED AS YOU CHANGE LANES, LESSENING THE ACCELERATION NEEDED AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU WILL NEED TO SPEND IN THE ONCOMING FLOW.

THE "SMITH SYSTEM", A PROGRAM TO REINFORCE SAFE DRIVING TECHNIQUES, ADVOCATES THE FOUR SECOND RULE.     WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU PASSES A OBJECT,   COUNT FOUR SECONDS TO SEE IF YOU ARE AT A SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE.    IT WORKS!!!

LOOK AHEAD.    IS THE LIGHT A HALF MILE UP GREEN NOW?   ODDS ARE, IT WON'T BE WHEN YOU GET THERE.   COAST IN AND GIVE IT TIME TO CYCLE BACK AROUND.    TIMED RIGHT, THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT WILL START ROLLING AGAIN BEFORE YOU GET THERE.   THIS SAVES FUEL AND BRAKES GOING IN, AND REQUIRES LESS ACCELERATION TO GET BACK UP TO SPEED AFTER THE LIGHT.

LOOK AHEAD ON THE FREEWAY, ABOUT MINIMUM HALF MILE..     SEE ALL THOSE BRAKE LIGHTS? NO SENSE IN RACING UP TO JOIN THE JAM, COAST IN FROM HERE AND SEE IF THOSE FOLKS CAN GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER BEFORE YOU GET THERE.

SLOW SMOOTH ACCERATION USES LESS FUEL AND CAUSES LESS STRAIN ON YOUR VEHICLE, LOWERING MAINTENANCE COSTS AS WELL.   HARD ACCELERATION USES MORE FUEL AND INCREASES THE TORQUE DEMANDS ON ALL PARTS OF THE DRIVETRAIN.

USE YOUR CRUISE CONTROL.    YOUR CAR'S CRUISE OPTION IS NOT DISTRACTED BY PHONE, RADIO, OR VOICES FROM THE BACK SEAT, AND WILL KEEP YOU MOVING AT A STEADY SPEED.   THIS SAVES FUEL, AND MAKES IT EASIER FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO PREDICT YOUR PACE.

CHECK TIRE PRESSURE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK USING A TIRE GAUGE.   KEEPING TIRES AT PROPER INFLATION LESSENS ROLLING RESISTANCE,   AND INCREASES TIRE LIFE.   AVOID OVERINFLATION, THIS CAUSES UNEVEN WEAR AND CAN LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF GRIP ON THE ROAD SURFACE YOUR TIRES PROVIDE. SEE YOUR TIRE VENDOR OR VEHICLE'S OWNER MANUAL FOR PROPER INFLATION LEVELS.

FOR SAFETY'S SAKE,   WHEN DOING WEEKLY TIRE CHECK, TURN ON ALL THE LIGHTS AND FOUR WAY FLASHERS AND CHECK THOSE TOO.   REPLACE AS NEEDED, IMMEDIATELY!         NOTE: FOUR WAYS AND TURN SIGNALS MAY NOT BE THE SAME BULB ON ALL VEHICLES.

AS LONG AS YOU ARE THERE,   ARE THE WINDSHIELD AND HEADLAMPS CLEAN?    A LIGHT FILM OF DIRT OVER HEADLAMPS CAN REDUCE THEIR USEFULNESS BY 30%,   AND A DIRTY WINDSHIELD CAN CAUSE GLARE,   CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.    TAKE A MOMENT FOR SAFETY.

FOLLOW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER MAINTENANCE.   DIRTY FUEL AND AIR FILTERS CAUSE YOUR VEHICLE TO WORK HARDER, DIRTY OIL AND FILTERS INCREASE WEAR INSIDE OF YOUR ENGINE, SHORTENING IT'S LIFE.

DON'T CARRY LOOSE ITEMS ON BACK WINDSHIELD DECK, OR LOOSE IN REAR OF SUV.   IN CASE OF ACCIDENT, THESE ITEMS CAN BECOME MISSILES TO HIT DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD DURING AN ACCIDENT OR PANIC STOP.

IN RAIN OR FOG,   PLEASE BE SURE TO TURN ON YOUR HEADLAMPS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE YOU..     ON MANY VEHICLES, THE HEADLAMPS COME ON WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING,   BUT THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE TAILLAMPS.    TURNING ON ALL LIGHTS HELPS DRIVERS ON ALL SIDES SEE YOU BETTER.   GENERAL RULE,   IF YOU NEED YOUR WIPERS,   YOU NEED YOUR HEADLAMPS.