Eco safe driving
The greener way to drive
All MAL-UK intensive driving courses are designed for eco safe driving and geared towards the new driving test due to be implemented in September 2009. To help with the eco safe driving I use the new Ford Fiesta diesel car wich has all of the latest eco safe driving features such as driver and passenger air bags and economy measures such as automatic headlight and winder wiper
activation i.e you have no worries about accidentaly leaving your headlights or window wipers on, Apart from the eco side of things,
you could fail a driving test by leaving either lights or wipers on.
What is eco safe driving?
Eco safe driving is recognised and proven to be the greener way to drive. The style of driving that contributes to road safety whilst reducing fuel consumption and emissions. If you make these changes you could reduce your fuel bill.
Motor vehicles on the road contribute to climate change because of
the carbon dioxide (CO²) your vehicle gives out, saving you money.
The motor industry has been urged to halve CO² emissions from cars by 2050 by four leading international agencies.
Top 10 tips for eco safe driving
Tyres
Under inflated tyres are not only potentially dangerous, but they also increase the rolling resistance between the vehicle's tyres and the road, meaning the engine has to work harder and therefore consume more fuel.
Fully maintained vehicle
A badly maintained vehicle is unlikely to perform as it's designed to. Problems such as partially blocked filters, poor oil performance, and emissions control systems under-performing will all prevent your engine from functioning properly. This can lead to increased fuel consumption and higher emissions.
Removing roof box rails
External fixings such as roof boxes, rails and bike racks should be removed when not in use. They change the air flow over the vehicle and increase its aerodynamic drag. This means that extra power is needed from your engine, increasing fuel consumption and emissions.
Think about how you keep cool
Avoid driving with the windows open at speeds of over 40 mph as this increases the car's aerodynamic drag. To reduce engine workload and therefore fuel consumption, close your windows and turn on the fan, only using the air con when really necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Removing unnecessary weight
Carrying unnecessary weight in the boot or cabin of the vehicle will make the engine work harder when accelerating; this particularly affects stop/start driving. Simply removing this load will reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Reducing stop start driving
The engine has to work harder when accelerating and every time the brakes are used this energy is lost as heat. Accelerating more smoothly and lifting off the accelerator earlier will improve fuel economy.
0
O
_
(
)
(
)
O
O
O
O
/
-
o
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
•
•
(
)
(
)
You've Passed Well Done
After your test. What do you want to hear?
Clue: Hover over Bertie on left
Eco diversion routes
Speed
Don't exceed speed limits, accelerate gently.
Consider using cruise control where it would be appropriate.
Excess idling
Unnecessary idling will consume fuel and produce emissions even whilst stationary. During periods of several minutes or more, where it is safe to do so, switching off your engine will stop fuel consumption and emissions completely
Use air conditioning only when you need to
Route planning
Plan your route to avoid known congestion points
Avoid hard acceleration
Accelerating hard and using high engine speeds will make the engine consume more fuel. This is because under high loads, and high speeds, the engine operates less efficiently. Accelerating more steadily to the desired speed and avoiding high engine revs by changing into a higher gear earlier will reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Avoid short journeys
On short journeys, when an engine is cold, it uses more fuel than normal until it reaches the optimum working temperature. The catalytic converter in the exhaust, which reduces harmful emissions, is also less efficient when cold. Cold start journeys, therefore, lead to higher emissions and higher fuel consumption for several minutes after start up compared to a warm engine. So, where possible, it is best to avoid short journeys
Use high quality fuels and lubricants
Using high quality fuels such as BP Ultimate can help to improve combustion in the engine, allowing the vehicle to run more efficiently and reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Low viscosity oils also deliver higher fuel efficiency.
Try to travel during off peak times.
Consider sharing the vehicle and avoid unnecessary short journeys
