Fuel Economy Tips for the Holidays

Traveling for the holidays has become somewhat of a tradition for many families here in the United States and around the world. Some of our travels will only take us a few miles down the road, while others may lead us across the country. If you plan on driving at all over the holidays, you’re probably going to want to keep reading so that you can learn a few fuel economy tips that will help you save time and money. As a bonus these tips may also help you use less gasoline, lower harmful emissions and improve your engine power.

• Avoid idling whenever possible. It is better to simply turn off your engine rather than burn additional fuel and spew emissions into the air. I know it’s cold in many places, but if you are able to limit your idling, it will be better for your wallet, your car and the air you breathe.
• Only pack what you really need. Loading down your vehicle or trunk with items you don’t need can cost you. Fuel efficiency can be lessened by approximately 2% for every 100 additional pounds. The difference can be even more dramatic in smaller vehicles than larger ones too.
• Don’t be an aggressive driver. There is no need to rush to get where you need to go. If you give yourself enough time, you will be able to get to your intended destination without much trouble. We are all well aware of the fact that speeding along in bad weather is never a good idea anyway. If you slow down a little bit, knock off any habits you have of rapid acceleration and braking, and drive sensibly it will make a difference.
• Always perform basic maintenance before you travel. Get a basic tune-up, have your oil changed, make sure your tires have sufficient trend on them, rotate your tires, check the air pressure and have your brakes checked. Each of these steps can help increase your fuel economy and improve your fuel efficiency.
• Give your vehicle a little fuel economy boost. Add Biofriendly Corporation’s Green Plus® patented liquid catalyst (available for both gasoline and diesel vehicles) to reduce the pollution and emissions coming from your vehicle by up to 45%, improve your engine power by up to 11% and increase your fuel economy up to an additional 9%.
• Plan your trip ahead of time to avoid rush our traffic or poor weather conditions. This will save money, gas, and a whole lot of unnecessary frustration. While you are traveling you should also make good use of your GPS. Doing so could help you avoid accidents and other potential travel delays. NOTE: The same holds true when you are planning on doing any “around town” driving for last minute presents, food and other items. Plan ahead, know where you want to go and combine multiple trips into one.
• Of course when we are talking about fuel economy tips for the holidays it would be wrong to leave out the option of using public transportation, riding your bike, walking or even carpooling to help save money and lower harmful vehicle emissions. It’s good for you and much better for the environment around you too. Check out your options and if it works for you, go for it!

When it all comes down to it the most important thing, above and beyond putting these fuel economy tips into use over the holidays, is that you and your family travel safely. I hope you are able to use these tips to improve your holiday travels and make your trip even better (for you and the environment) than you had originally planned. Happy holidays!

Holiday traffic image by Frank Bonilla via Flickr Creative Commons