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Drivers' behaviors can boost mileage
Ease pain at pump by slowing down, idling less
Fuel-saving tips
- Curb aggressive driving
- Observe speed limits
- Remove unnecessary weight from the cargo compartment, as well as car-top carriers when not in use
- Combine trips to avoid starting your engine cold
- Use cruise control, which helps maintain constant speed and saves gas
- Avoid unnecessary idling, which wastes more fuel than shutting down your engine and restarting
- Use overdrive gears, which slow down engine speed
Sources: David L. Greene of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and www.fueleconomy.gov
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WASHINGTON - Americans feeling the sting of $4-a-gallon gas don't have to wait for the federal government to do something about rising fuel costs.
Individual motorists can take a number of steps now that will help them get more gas mileage out of their vehicles and save money for other expenses, an official at Oak Ridge National Laboratory told federal lawmakers on Wednesday.
"By combining a number of individually small improvements, consumers' gasoline bills can be reduced significantly," said David L. Greene of the laboratory's Transportation, Science and Energy Division.
Greene was one of several experts who testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which is looking at various proposals for easing the pain at the pump.
Driver behavior can affect gas mileage, so closely following a few driving tips can increase by as much as 10 percent the miles per gallon that motorists get out of their cars, Greene said.
Observing the speed limit, for example, can help save fuel. Every 5 mph slower you drive on the highway can lead to 7 percent or 8 percent in fuel savings, Greene said.
Likewise, driving a little less aggressively, removing unnecessary weight from the vehicle's trunk or cargo compartment, and avoiding unnecessary idling can result in better fuel economy, he said.
Vehicle maintenance is also important to improving fuel economy, Greene said, so drivers should make sure tires are inflated to the manufacturers' recommended pressure.
Keeping wheels properly aligned and balanced, changing oil regularly with the proper grade of fuel-saving oil, replacing dirty air filters and keeping your engine properly tuned can all result in better gas mileage, Greene said.
As for what the government should do, Greene suggested updating test procedures used to make sure manufacturers are complying with fuel-economy standards.
The government should also extend and simplify monetary incentives for the purchase of hybrid cars, he said. In the long run, those incentives would not only encourage consumers to buy fuel-economy cars but would push manufacturers to invent and adopt advanced fuel-economy technologies, he said.
Another possibility, Greene said, would be to set up a pay-at-the-pump insurance program.
"At a time of record high gasoline prices, it may seem strange to propose a policy that would increase the price of gasoline at the pump," Greene conceded.
But pay-at-the-pump insurance wouldn't affect the overall cost of driving, he said. It would simply transfer a fraction of the total cost of auto insurance to the cost of motor fuel. Gasoline would increase by about 25 cents to 50 cents per gallon, but the cost of auto insurance would fall by an equal amount.
The benefit? Higher gas costs would encourage manufacturers to adopt more fuel-efficient technologies and consumers to choose more fuel-efficient vehicles and operate them more efficiently, Greene said.
Motorists still would be required to enroll with an insurance carrier to establish coverage and buy any additional coverage that is needed, he said.
Michael Collins may be reached at 202-408-2711.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Posted by thurs2000 on July 24, 2008 at 4:37 a.m.
This guy should be run out of town'
Posted by shoes on July 24, 2008 at 7:22 a.m.
Amen.
This guy went to Washington to repeat the standard mantra. What a waste.
He can say what he wants, but he needs to stop blaming the victims. A lot of us have done everything he suggested for years, and the pump price still hurts.
As for pay-at-the-pump insurance, I guess that would eliminate any possibility of shopping around for better rates. Thanks a bunch.
Posted by Cracker on July 24, 2008 at 8:01 a.m.
Yeah, I don't really get the logic on that pay-at-the-pump insurance thing. Higher gas prices do decrease demand somewhat, and people could do better. It's not a completely inelastic demand, in other words. Yet it's not completely elastic either. Sure, we as a nation learn to stop wasting so much fuel. But there are too many people barely making ends meet as it is.
Still, the guy has a point about how people drive. Many folks still blast out of red lights, drive 10 mph over the speed limit or more, haul a lot of crap or empty roof racks or roof boxes, ride one person in the car, driving to the corner quicky mart, and/or have low tires. I saw my mileage jump up 5mpg just by shifting up sooner (accelerating more slowly).
Posted by Kasey on July 24, 2008 at 8:30 a.m.
The driving tips are good reminders, but what does pay at the pump insurance have to do with it? Nothing as far as I'm concerned. The oil companies and legislators in the pocket of the oil companies are responsible. Bush, Cheney, most of Congress, etc......
Posted by joeblow on July 24, 2008 at 10:24 a.m.
I gave up on all my MPG tricks, mixing Acetone in my gas, E-85 etc. Sold all my tech stocks and went big into Exxon Mobil/HAL. Lets get the drilling started!
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