Eco Driving
Eco-friendly Driving
Become an Eco-safe Driver
If you haven’t heard about global warming you must have been living on another planet.
The main cause of it is the greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) which we produce by burning fossil fuels-like by driving cars. As a leading driving school we can do our bit to protect the environment, and help you do yours, by promoting eco-safe driving.
At Start rite we are promoting eco-safe, driving. We want all of our pupils to shrink their carbon footprint-when preparing for and passing their driving test. We want all of our pupils to become eco-safe drivers for life!
The amount of carbon you produce in a car is mainly down to two factors: what you drive and the way you drive it.
We can’t tell you which car to drive once you have passed your driving test, but one way we can help you to reduce your ‘carbon footprint’ when you’re driving is by developing your hazard perception skills.
These skills, and the principles behind them, are now also an important part of your driving test. The theory test will often contain questions to check your knowledge. And the practical driving test now includes an assessment of your ability to use the controls in a way that reduces your impact on the environment in your car.
How to become an eco-safe driver.
Its not just about how you behave on the road, it’s also about how you use your car.
Behind the wheel
- Always look out for potential hazards well before hand, so that you avoid harsh braking, or acceleration and unnecessary stopping.
- Use the accelerator smoothly and when appropriate, take your foot off the accelerator altogether to allow the momentum of the car to take you forward.
- Stay within the speed limit. Driving at 70mph uses about 15% more fuel that at 50mph.
- Use your gears selectively – you can sometimes even skip them – and use the highest possible gear without making the engine struggle.
- Use engine braking – with your foot fully off the accelerator the engine needs very little fuel, and will help to slow the car down.
- Use cruise control (if you have it) – keeping a steady speed consumes less fuel.
- Avoid revving the engine when starting and if you’re stationary for more than a couple of minutes, like when stuck in traffic (eg: a railway crossing), switch it off. Five minutes of engine idling can use as much fuel as driving half a mile.
- In hot weather try to use your air vents and windows rather than air conditioning, and park in the shade.
- Always try to reverse into a parking space so that you can drive out of it easily. Lots of manoeuvring with a cold engine really guzzles fuel.
Before you head off
- Try to avoid short journeys by car. Walk, cycle or use public transport instead.
- Try car sharing, avoid rush hours and use park and ride schemes.
- Plan your routes to avoid notorious hold-ups and road works. Sat nav can stop you getting lost and driving further than you need.
- Don’t carry any unnecessary weight – only travel with the things you need for your journey, not with a boot full of stuff you don’t.
- Avoid heavy accessories and wide tyres that increase rolling resistance and cause more drag.
- Have your car serviced regularly – so that it’s running at maximum efficiency.
- Keep you tyres pumped up, as under-inflated tyres increase fuel consumption. Check them frequently and always before a long journey, and do it when they’re cold.
Learn to Drive with Start Rite the Eco-friendly way.
