Economical driving
Drivers who practice economical driving techniques help keep the roads safe and protect the environment.
Economical driving techniques help drivers:
- save on fuel
- reduce harmful vehicle emissions
- reduce driving risks and driver stress.
Benefits of eco-driving
Sound economical driving practices can improve safety and help to reduce:
- vehicle emissions and environmental impacts
- fuel use and fuel costs
- fleet operating costs
- vehicle abuse and crash rates
- vehicle maintenance costs
- driver stress and aggressiveness.
Tips for economical driving
Plan your trip to avoid bottlenecks and stop–start driving.
Avoid travel during peak hours.
Drive smoothly and avoid heavy acceleration and braking.
Scan the road ahead and anticipate traffic flow.
Follow other vehicles at a safe distance (2–4 second rule) to improve your view of the road ahead.
Travel at a constant speed.
Accelerate moderately when moving off and shift to higher gears early, while avoiding high engine revs.
Drive at safe speeds and avoid speeding.
Drive at reduced speeds when you’re towing a trailer or the vehicle is heavily loaded.
Avoid engine warm-up, as modern engines don’t need it.
Reduce engine idling by turning off the engine at longer stops.
Reduce wind drag by removing roof-mounted racks and cargo boxes when you’re not using them.
Remove unneeded and heavy items from the vehicle, such as sports equipment.
Avoid using air conditioners (AC) when they’re not absolutely needed.
Avoid selecting the coldest AC setting, as it requires the AC to run continuously.
Set the AC controls to recirculate to maximise cooling efficiency.
Park the vehicle in the shade to reduce excessive AC use.
Use cruise control to maintain constant speeds on the highway.
Ensure the vehicle receives its scheduled maintenance.
Maintain correct tyre pressure (as recommended by the manufacturer) to reduce rolling resistance and fuel consumption.
Fill the petrol tank only to the first click to allow for fuel expansion and reduce emissions.