How you drive can save fuel and money

PETROL price headlines are not looking good for South Africans. Prices keep going up, and the money in our wallets is evaporating more quickly.

The latest measurements of the world's oil and natural gas supplies confirm that they are running out faster than expected.

It is predicted that some time between now and 2020, the world's supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international demand, reaffirming its global status as "black gold".

But, all is not lost as there are many ways that can be used to save fuel and money.

Brendan Horan, general sales and marketing manager at MiX Telematics, says there are a number of simple things every motorist can do to conserve fuel.

"It is in everyone's interests to conserve our limited fuel supply, and I would like to encourage motorists to adopt driving measures that minimise fuel consumption," Horan says.

With this in mind, and the ever rising cost of petrol making it increasingly difficult for the average consumer to tighten their belts and cut costs, "fuel saving measures could be our only option",he says.

Horan offers the following top 10 fuel-saving tips for motorists:

• Change gears efficiently. Move up to the highest gear as soon as appropriate.
• When you drive slowly in a higher gear, you'll burn less fuel.
• Drive smoothly. Don't drive aggressively and avoid hard acceleration. You'll burn up to a third less fuel if you drive smoothly.
• Avoid sudden braking. Keep a good distance from the car in front of you and avoid braking too hard, as this will use more fuel.
• Make sure your tyres are properly inflated.
• Avoid over-revving your car.
• Avoid carrying excess weight. Empty your boot out every now and again and clear your car of unnecessary items.
• Switch off your engine when it's not in use. Avoid excess idling, it burns fuel unnecessarily. Turn the engine off until you need it to run again.
• Use air-conditioning sparingly. Air-conditioning puts extra strain on your engine and can increase your fuel consumption by 8%. Rather use your car's internal ventilation system where possible.
• Keep your engine well tuned and serviced. Service your car regularly.
• A poorly maintained engine with dirty spark plugs can increase your fuel consumption by up to 50%.
• Avoid high speeds. High speed equals more wind resistance and that equals greater fuel consumption. Keep it slow.

"If we all work together and do our bit to drive with fuel conservation in mind, perhaps the next petrol hike or the next strike will have far less of an impact," Horan concludes.