Summer is HERE!
Okay, it technically doesn’t start until the 21st of June, but we all know that Summer really kicks off on Memorial Day weekend when we get all our plants in the ground, get the boat on the river, and there’s plenty of sun & temps in the 80’s!
And our first Summer Party Tip of the year might be a bit lacking in the “party” department, but these tips could certainly come in handy if you’re taking a summer road trip. Especially with gas prices being as high as they are right now.
I just had some friends who recently drove Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica and these helpful hints from AAA probably saved them some money on fuel.
Four tips from AAA on how to increase your gas mileage:
- Plan your trips! Duh…seems like a no-brainer, right? But, if you need to make more than one stop while out running errands, map out a route before you go so you don’t end up backtracking. And obviously, try to avoid driving during periods of heavy traffic.
- Watch your speed. Fuel economy peaks at about 50mph in most cars, then drops off as your speed increases. Bummer for me. I’m a lead-foot of the highest caliber. Also, rapid acceleration & hard braking can LOWER your fuel economy by up to 40% in stop-and-go traffic.
- Don’t idle. The average car consumes about a 1/2 gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. So, if you’re going to be stopped for a couple of minutes(train, etc), it’s better to just turn the car off & restart it when you’re ready to go again.
- Maintain your car. Duh again….but cars that aren’t maintained well are less efficient & use more fuel. Stuff like oil changes, properly inflated tires, dirty air filters, etc. can lower your fuel economy.
That’s just a few tips to help you increase your gas mileage if you’re heading out on the road this summer. For more tips, click here.
