Tips on saving on gas

The Web site www.save-on-gas-prices.com offers the following tips on how to save on gas by driving more efficiently:

Walk or bicycle to nearby destinations. You will definitely save on gas if you leave your car at home, and get some exercise as well.

Use public transportation, or try telecommuting from work if you're in a position to do so.

Drive the car that gets the best gas mileage more often than the one with higher gas mileage.

Find out about ride-sharing programs and carpools that are available in your local area.

Combine trips. Try to combine as many purposes into one trip as you can.

Anticipate driving conditions on your route. Tune in to radio traffic reports. If you know the traffic is or will be heavy on a certain road, take an alternate route.

Avoid rough roads, such as those made of gravel or dirt, to reduce your fuel consumption by as much as 30 percent.

Drive the speed limit. Your gas mileage will decrease rapidly when you travel at speeds over 60 miles per hour.

Accelerate slowly when the light turns green. The faster you accelerate, the more gas you are going to consume.

Avoid an idling vehicle. Studies show that it's more fuel efficient to turn off your car and re-start it, than it is to let it idle.

Remove excess weight from your car, which can negatively affect your mileage. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle.

Use the air conditioner only when necessary. It causes your vehicle to consume more fuel, especially in stop-and-go traffic. However, for highway driving, it's probably better to use the air conditioner than to leave your windows open, as open windows will cause wind resistance and drag the vehicle, which will thereby consume more fuel.

Use cruise control on the highway whenever possible to maintain a constant speed. However, you'll get better gas mileage on mountainous or hilly roads if you hold a constant throttle position instead of using cruise control.

Use overdrive gears on the highway to decrease your engine speed, saving you on engine wear and fuel consumption.