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20 8
Dr iv ing and e n vi r o nm e nt
Operate
your vehicle
economically
and
minimize
pollut
ion
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
the economy of your vehicle, as well as ex-
haust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmental impact, and
wear on your engine, brakes and tires largely
depend on three factors:
- your persona l driving sty le
- operating conditions
- technical lim itations
If you anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easily cut your
fuel consumption by 10-15 percent . This sec-
tion will give you some tips on how you can
help the environment and your pocketbook.
(D
Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published
by ENVIRONMEN TAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not corre-
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, which will vary depending upon vehi-
cle load and speed, road and weather con-
ditions, trip length, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac-
celerating.
.. Avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking .
Vehicles use the most fue l when they are ac-
celerating . If you anticipate what is go ing to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
thus, accelerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible - for example when you see
that the next traffic light is red.
Avoid full throttle
'
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage .
.. Try and keep well below your car's maximum
speed.
Accelerat ing gently reduces fue l consump-
t ion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
Fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and en-
gine noise increase disproportionate ly at high
speeds. If you drive at approximately three
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weather con-
ditions perm it .
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is just idling it burns up
fuel .
.. Shut the engine off when you are not driving
the vehicle .
.. Do not warm up the vehicle by lett ing the
engine run at idle.
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when wa it ing for tra ins to pass at rail -
road crossings, or at traffic lights that have
long waits on red. Turning the engine off for
j ust 30-40 seconds saves mo re fuel than is
burned start ing the engine again.
It
takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is run ning at idle. However, wear
and noxious emissions are especially high
when the engine is warm ing up. So you shou ld
drive away as soon as you start the engine and
avoid running at high rpms while the engine is
still warming up.
(D
Note
Do not leave engine idling unattended af-
ter starting. If warning lights should come
on to indicate improper operation, they
would go unheeded. Extended idling also
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