MERIDIAN, Idaho — The War With Iran has gas exceeding $4 per gallon, and there’s currently no end in sight.
Online, you can find an endless supply of tips on how to save on gas, but can personal driving habits really impact your wallet?
Idaho News 6 Senior Reporter Roland Beres spoke with an AAA travel expert and a driving instructor who both claim that changing your driving habits can noticeably reduce your monthly gas expenses.
Hear what a driving instructor recommends doing to get the most out of each gallon.
“It’s like the heart rate of a really stressed-out human. The pulse is rising, and breathing is getting shallow, and people are even a little panicky,” explained Matthew Conde, spokesperson for Idaho AAA.
He says skyrocketing prices have drivers ready for a change: “Fifty-nine percent of Americans will make major changes to their driving habits when gas prices hit four dollars. So we’re already there.”
The question is, what can you do?
I jumped in a bright yellow Mustang with driving instructor Robert Fenn, who right away recommended going easy on the horsepower.
“Gradually accelerate, take a bit to get up to speed and save money as well,” explained Fenn.
Fenn took me to a busy Boise intersection to demonstrate what drivers are doing wrong.
“It seems like people are always in a hurry to get to the light,” said Fenn. who went on to explain that starting and stopping uses lots of fuel— so you should try to time your approach to upcoming stop lights.
“So there’s a red light up ahead, I took my foot off the gas, and that guy put his brake lights on, so we’re just rolling,” added Fenn.
AAA explained that reducing the weight in your car by keeping the inside and trunk clear of unnecessary objects is a good second step. From there, drivers should keep their tires properly inflated and not bother using high-octane fuel unless their car requires it.
And even though Mythbusters found a 40 percent increase in mileage from drafting a semi truck, the practice remains illegal.
“Some of the things people try to do are not so great. Trying to draft behind another vehicle, you know, this isn’t NASCAR," said Conde.
Fenn agreed, saying, “That’s unsafe. You gotta get too close for that to actually work.“
Back in 1974, Rock star Sammy Hagar lampooned the US Government when it made the national speed limit 55mph, but the bottom line is— driving 55mph saves gas.
Consumer reports found dropping from 65 to 55 saved 6 miles per gallon in a Nissan Altima.
If you earn rock star money, don’t worry about it. If you’re like the rest of us, well, 55 might not sound all that bad.
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