Eco-Safe Driving

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Eco-Safe Driving is a recognised and proven style of driving that contributes to road safety whilst reducing fuel consumption and emissions.  

 

If you make these changes you could reduce your fuel bill.  In the future Eco-Safe Driving may well be an integral part of your driving test and will certainly be discussed and taught in your lessons.

 

Advice that you will be given on your lessons.

 

Control:

 

• Start/Moving Away:  Try to avoid excessive rev-ving when starting your engine and moving away.

• Accelerator:  Use your accelerator smoothly and progressively.  When appropriate take your foot off the accelerator and allow the momentum of the vehicle to take you forward.  Avoid pumping the accelerator as this uses more fuel.

• Gears: It is not always necessary to change up and down through each gear; skipping gears is very beneficial.  As soon as conditions allow use the highest possible gear without making the engine struggle.

• Appropriate Use of Speed. Ensure that your speed is appropriate to the road, traffic and weather conditions.  Inappropriate speed can affect fuel consumption and emissions.

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​Info: Always try and use the vehicle controls as smoothly as possible as this reduces wear and tear on the vehicle and reduces CO2 emissions.

 

Planning:

 

• Hazard Awareness/Planning and Anticipation.  Identify hazards early, allowing adequate time to react - this will result in braking and acceleration that is smooth and progressive.  Maintain space around your vehicle and drive calmly.

• Engine Braking.  Use engine braking when possible.  With your foot off the accelerator the engine needs little, if any, fuel.

• Stopping the Engine.  When stuck in traffic or waiting for someone the engine is idling so fuel is wasted and CO2 emissionsare added.  If you are likely to be at a standstill for a while, switch off your engine.

Eco-Safe Driving:

 

• Makes you a safer driver by increasing your hazard perception and planning skills.

• Making these changes will reduce your fuel bill and lower emissions.

• Regular maintenance of your vehicle can reduce emissions and save fuel.

• Further information can be found at www.directgov.uk/motoring.

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Ways to lower car costs

 

In the current economic climate you might be wondering what, if anything, you can do to increase the money coming in, but it pays just as well to look at how to cut back on household costs.

 

Most people tend to be lazy when it comes to seeking out the best deals so here's a quick cheatsheet to cutting down on one of the most money-guzzling objects you'll ever buy - a car.

 

1) Fuel costs are paramount, and with the cost of gas going up, so make sure you check out what different garages are charging.

 

There is a difference of 13p per litre between the cheapest and most expensive unleaded petrol prices (according to petrolprices.com) – that equates to a saving of over £10 every 80 litres, which will mount up over time...

 

2) Watch how you drive – keeping a steady speed uses less equivalent petrol than a stop-start journey over the same distance. Also, it's worth keeping to speed limits, and not just because you won't be breaking the law. A driver who goes at 85mph will use 25% more fuel over the same distance as someone who keeps to 70mph. Not only are you less likely to have an accident (and hence keep down expensive insurance costs) but you'll be saving on fuel as well.

 

When 50 AA employees took part in an eco-driving experiment with Auto Express magazine they saved an average 10% on their weekly fuel bills, with the best achieving an incredible 33% saving.

 

3) Compare, compare, compare for insurance quotes. Sites like moneysupermarket.com and confused.com are a great starting point. Alternatively you can go directly to individual providers' sites to see what premium they'll quote.

 

Remember though, that the make and model of your car, your driving history, annual mileage and even small things like the colour of your car will make a difference to your premiums – a metallic colour car will cost more to repaint if there's damage to the bodywork, hence your premiums will be slightly more expensive to reflect this.

 

So, bear these points in mind and you'll soon have saved enough to upgrade to that sports car you've always wanted!

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