Staying Safe on the Road and Saving Fuel

As New Zealanders get ready to start their summer road trip, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has some driving trips that will keep them safer on the road, make for a more pleasant ride and save fuel.

EECA General Manager Transport Liz Yeaman says driving fuel efficiently isn’t about driving slowly or holding up traffic, it is about accelerating smoothly, looking ahead to anticipate conditions beyond the car in front, and sticking to the speed limit. “Not only will it help you get to your destination safely, you’ll save on fuel.”

“Research shows that driving efficiently gets you to the destination in the same amount of time and the driver and passengers are less stressed,” Ms Yeaman said.

EECA’s top six summer driving tips:

Don’t speed - keep at or under the speed limit – it is safer and will save you fuel.

Look ahead - slow down early and maintain a safe following distance.

Corner smoothly - don't brake hard for corners and accelerate out of them. Instead, slow down gently, negotiate and exit corners on a light throttle.

Stay cool - use air conditioning and close the windows when you’re on the highway or travelling over 50 km/h. Open windows and turn off the air conditioning when driving below 50 km/h.

Don’t idle - turn your car off if you're going to stop for more than 30 seconds and plan your journey to avoid driving in peak traffic when you can.

Check tyres – check tyre pressure and tyre tread before a road trip.

Motorists can take a quiz at www.energywise.govt.nz/tools/driving-behaviour to see how their driving compares and how much they could save.

ENDS

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