Saving Us From Ourselves: Drive Slower, Save Gas

We all know by now that we should be taking steps to conserve gas. We can do things like carpool or arrange our errands so that they are all done in one trip. But a key tip that we can practice every time we drive is this: SLOW DOWN. Many of us have read articles suggesting slowing down, but we are skeptical about just how much we really are saving. Well, according to this article at CNNMoney.com, "every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon." (Once you get into the higher rates of speed, for every extra 10 MPH, fuel economy is reduced about four miles per gallon.) That is a big difference that can add up quickly in terms of extra gas that needs to be purchased. Even so, just reading stats like that didn't have me convinced. Until last weekend, on a trip to Norfolk, VA to attend a wedding. Driving down, we averaged about 68 miles per hour and used up roughly 3/4 of a full tank of gas. However, on the ride back, because someone may have consumed a little too much Sauvignon Blanc at the wedding reception the previous night, a request was entered for a slower traveling speed for the trip home. After refueling the tank, coming home at 58 miles per hour, we arrived back in the Philadelphia area with only less than half of a tank of gas used. It was shocking to realize that so much extra fuel was eaten up by only ten extra miles per hour. It should also be noted that both trips took roughly the same amount of time, so it's not as if a great amount of travel time was added to the trip due to decreased speed. So next time you are on a major road or highway and are hitting the pedal to the floor (or setting the cruise to a high rate of speed), please think twice about it and consider travelling slightly slower. You may become unpopular with the drivers behind you, but it will certainly save you gas, and also it can't hurt to drive at a safer speed.

Image Credit: Flickr user futureatlas.com