You might have heard the common tricks for getting more mileage out of a tank of gas: Slow down, keep your tires inflated, and make sure the car is not carrying too much weight. But, as college students looking to save money, this is not all you can do to stretch your fuel dollars. Here are some simple techniques that can help you save at the pump.
Find a detour:
Take an alternate route, if there is going to be construction on your route that makes the road bumpy and more difficult to drive on. Find an alternate way to go. Even if the new path is longer, you will actually save money on gas. Why? According to fueleconomy.gov, rough roads slow your car, reducing fuel efficiency by up to 30%. To find out if the road you are taking has construction, visit traffic.com.
Pick a lane:
Research done by car.com shows that people who stay in one lane and drive smoothly get two to three miles more per gallon than those who frequently change lanes. The reason is the sudden acceleration and braking that happens as you pass other cars and move to a new lane gives your engine more work to do, which burns up gas faster.
Avoid talking on the phone:
Studies by autos.com show that talking on cell phones while driving, even while using a headset or speaker phone, is distracting. You are more likely to commit driving errors that waste gas, such as hitting your brakes harder because you did not notice a traffic slow-down in front of you, driving faster than you intended, missing a turn you were supposed to make or getting lost.
Avoid Idling:
Idling is spending time doing nothing or moving aimlessly. According to fueleconomy.gov, idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour depending on the engine size or air conditioner. Turn off your engine when your car is parked, and avoid simply driving around for no reason to avoid wasting fuel.
Plan ahead:
Make sure you have enough time. If it takes 20 minutes to drive to school, plan on leaving the house early enough to arrive with some time to spare. By having extra time to get to school, you will not be rushed and tempted to use your gas pedal to take care of the time crunch. By simply taking the time to plan ahead, you can save fuel.
Gas Apps
If you are tech savvy, there are also some apps that can help save money and gas.
– Gas Buddy: This app maps and lists gas stations in the area and is sorted by price and distance from you. http://gasbuddy.com/gb_mobile_instructions.aspx
– Gas Cubby: This app will help track your gas mileage, and will also keep track of your vehicle’s maintenance and send service reminders. http://www.appcubby.com/gas/index.html
– Waze: This app uses real-time traffic updates to help steer clear of any traffic jams. http://www.waze.com/homepage/
For a college student, the more money you save on gas, the more money in your pocket and that sounds like a good trade off. So follow these simple tricks and enjoy the ride.
