News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 243-7446
Tucson, Arizona (October 29, 2009) – With a few days left in National Car Care Month, individuals still have time to conserve fuel, save money, and spare the air by trying a few handy tips. Pima County Department of Environmental Quality encourages good vehicle maintenance and offers some driving tips that will help your budget as gasoline costs continue to rise. Millions of dollars worth of gasoline are wasted each day in the United States, due to simple neglect by vehicle owners. Easy preventative actions such as tightening gas caps, properly inflating tires, replacing worn spark plugs and dirty air filters, and driving thoughtfully will help save fuel and reduce air pollution.
“With the majority of our air pollution being caused by motor vehicle use, anything we can do to reduce the amount of gasoline we burn will not only save us money, but also keep our air healthy to breathe,” said Beth Gorman of Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.
Vehicle Maintenance
Inflate tires properly- under-inflated tires can cost a mile or two per gallon of gasoline used, due to increased rolling resistance. So, instead of getting 20 miles to the gallon, you would only get 18 or 19.
Replace worn spark plugs – dirty spark plugs cause misfires which waste fuel.
Replace clogged air filter – dirty air filters can decrease gas mileage by 10 percent.
Replace faulty vehicle gas cap – leaking gas caps allow gasoline to evaporate from your tank wasting gasoline and contributing to air pollution. And make sure your gas cap is tightened after each use. Nationally, gas cap problems waste 147,000,000 gallons of gasoline per year through vaporization, which contributes to air pollution.
Avoid idling – sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon and wastes gasoline! Letting the vehicle warm up for a minute and driving slowly at first is all it needs. Fumes from idling vehicles can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Drive sensibly – aggressive driving and rapid acceleration can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on highway and 5 percent on city streets.
Observe speed limits – gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 m.p.h.
Use the cruise – cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed, which will save you gas.
Commuting and Planning Trips
Combine errands – several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
Stagger work hours – by staggering your work hours (for example, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.) to avoid peak rush hours you will spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel.
Pick and choose – if you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible.
Pack light – a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent, so place items in trunk or rear of vehicle whenever possible. An extra 100 lbs. in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1-2 percent.
Carpool a time or two each week – cut your weekday gasoline bill and save wear and tear on your car by sharing the ride.
Try transit – reduce driving stress, save money, catch up on reading, and meet new friends by driving to a Park & Ride lot and taking the bus from there. New express routes are gaining popularity as a great way to get to work relaxed. Or combine exercise with your commute by trying a brisk walk or bike ride to the nearest bus stop. All Sun Tran buses have bike racks.
Many of these tips are compiled from the National Car Care Council and the U.S. Department of Energy. For additional information on preventing pollution visit www.deq.pima.gov.
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