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Carplus
advocates minimising car use but there are some times when a c
ar journey is the
only option. In this case it is still possible to reduce the impact of of
the trip on the environment by
adjusting the way the car is
driven.
By driving more efficiently emissions and fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 25%. Slight changes to driving habits could include:
Drive off straight away rather than leaving the engine idling to warm up.
Hard acceleration, sharp breaking and aggressive driving use more fuel as well as being more dangerous.
Minimum emissions occur between 40-60 miles per hour and increase with higher speeds. This not only reduces wear on tyres and makes them last longer but gives fuel savings as well. Driving at 70mph can use up to 30% more fuel than driving at 50mph.
Think
ahead as you drive so that your driving is smoother, this will also reduce
wear and tear on the car part, including tyres.
Regular maintenance; keeping the engine tuned will reduce emissions. The DfT suggests that 90% of badly polluting vehicles cars could be tuned within just 15 minutes.
Restarting the engine uses less energy than 10 seconds of idling, so switch off if in a long queue.
Inflating tyres to the correct pressure will lengthen their life, make the car safer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5%.
Don't carry unnecessary loads in the boot or on the roof as this will increase fuel consumption.
Because the engine is cold, journeys of less than 2 miles pollute by up to 60% more per mile than a hot engine.
40% of UK trips are less than 3 miles, and catalytic converters take at least 6 miles to become effective.
Catalytic
converters on petrol engines are able to reduce emissions of carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides but need regular inspection and
maintenance to work effectively.
Planning your journey will reduce unnecessary mileage due to getting lost, stuck in traffic or roadworks. It may reduce a great deal of hassle too. It is especially advisable to plan your journeys to avoid travelling during peak periods.
Try to link together necessary car journeys rather than making many small trips.
Many
city centres today offer the option to use a 'Park and Ride' scheme which
enables you to leave your vehicle outside the central zones (usually the
most congested areas) and use priority public transport that brings you into
the centre. These schemes save you from driving in congested urban areas and
having to find a parking space.
See
also the Energy
Saving Trust's Efficient Driving advice
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Data from sources: DfT, Canadian One Tonne Challenge.
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