Smart drive

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Smart drive

Drive with smooth style

Impact

Effort

What

Drive less like a boy racer, more like a real racer. Keep down the revs to get more miles from your tank and drive with the smooth style of Jenson Button.

Smart driving ain’t called smart for nothing. Through a combination of small actions - like driving smoothly and steadily, removing any excess luggage, easing off on the air con and keeping your car well serviced - you could save at least £100 a year at the pump!1

Even better, these simple changes will make you a safer driver, increase your car’s lifespan and reduce your emissions by up to 25%.1

Why

Road transport in the UK produces around a quarter of our national CO2 emissions. By driving a little more efficiently you can dramatically reduce your fuel use, saving up to 220 kgCO2 a year – which adds up 0.3 million tonnes for all UK drivers.1

How

Becoming a smart driver isn’t hard - it just takes a bit of practice. Follow these simple techniques for a few weeks, and you’ll become a lean, green driving machine in no time.

  1. Accelerate and brake smoothly: keep your eyes on the road ahead and a safe distance from the vehicle in front so you can anticipate speed changes and traffic lights. This helps you maintain steadier speeds, which cuts your fuel use - plus, you'll feel like a zen ninja.
  2. Lighten the load: remove the junk from your trunk and take off any unnecessary roof racks or boxes. This will help make your car lighter and more aerodynamic.
  3. Tip top condition: service your car regularly and make sure to keep your tyres well inflated. This won't just make your driving safer, it'll make your car more fuel efficient.
  4. Stay cool (but not too cool): try to use air con sparingly – up to 25% of your fuel is used to power it!2 However, bear in mind that if you’re travelling at high speeds, it’s more fuel efficient to use the AC than have your windows down.
  5. What's the rush? by keeping to 60mph on the motorway (instead of 75mph) you'll save around 15% in fuel.2
  6. Turn it off: an idling engine isn’t doing your bank balance or the environment any favours.

To take your driving to the next level, check out the tips and advice from the Energy Saving Trust.

References

  1. Efficient Driving A Rapid Evidence Assessment for the DfT
  2. Energy Saving Trust
  3. Smart driving: Time to improve fuel economy
  4. Air pollution: everything you should know about a public health emergency