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
Here are a few reasons to take action.
Click for more info or scroll to read them all.
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
more fuel is used driving at 75mph than at 60mph.2
Driving more efficiently can save you at least £100 a year1 – that’s money in the bank.
The savings come from a combination of smart driving techniques. For example, for every 100kg of weight your car is carrying, you’ll need around 2% extra fuel to stay moving - and even more in smaller cars.3 Similarly, a recent study calculated that UK motorists could be wasting a whopping £246 million a year running cars with under-inflated tyres.2
We all know it – exhaust pipes are not exactly prime producers of fresh country air. In fact, they stink. And, with air pollution remaining a public health emergency4, the less fumes we all create, the better.
By following our simple smart driving techniques, you’ll help reduce your car’s impact on your local environment. Happy days!
We all like safer roads.
Becoming a smart driver means driving smoothly and steadily, anticipating what’s happening on the roads and paying more attention to how your car is behaving.
In September 2017, an historic agreement was signed by UN member nations agreeing to work towards 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development by 2030, otherwise known as the SDGs.
Achieving these ambitious goals will require action from governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals alike. We can - and must - all play our part.
By making the 'Smart drive' pledge, you are contributing in your own small way to the following SDG targets:
3.6: By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
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.
To take your driving to the next level, check out the tips and advice from the Energy Saving Trust.
Pledges
in total
CO2
pledged
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I tried hard with this action, and when I was conscious about my driving, I definitely noticed I had to fill up less!
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have enjoyed doing this, have seen it as a challenge to use the least amount of fuel.
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Driving to these changes over the last 2 months has brought a significant improvement in the car performance and fuel efficiency (very pleasing) - whilst at the same time benefitting the planet (also very pleasing).
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Use of my diesel has drastically reduced as I now use a 125cc scooter, which uses approx. £6 of petrol for around 100 miles, compared to £30 of diesel for 150 miles.
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It's easy when you want to do it and you are just as quick taking it easy as you are driving erratically in traffic.
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Have not only tried to drive smarter, but also reduced the miles done. Opting for other modes of transport or getting people to come to me (does that count).
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Changed diesel car for a hybrid after signing up to this pledge and so drive much more smoothly now to ensure car is driven in electric mode rather than petrol. Will definitely change how I drive from now on.
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I own an older car anyway so this pledge was more than useful for me. I have made sure I never exceeded 60 mph and I will continue to drive in such manner.
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Cut down fuel spend, by driving smarter and smoother.
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Car free days, by arranging appointments with clients only when I'm also doing the school run for my children. The days I'm not doing school runs my car stays on the drive and I walk to work. When I leave the car at home I easily do 10000+ steps. Win both ways healthier and less spend on fuel.
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I have been driving less and more economically. saved money and is fun!
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My car uses Diesel and I have reduced my monthly spend to £50
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Tried to drive more economically over the pledge - relatively successful as my fuel bills did decrease a little!
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Not only was I a less frequent visitor to the petrol station but I found I was much more relaxed and in reality my journey times were little altered. Extending my attention field (looking further ahead) and acting accordingly, hugely reduced my need to brake. As this became more the norm, I was able to relax more and even enjoy my surroundings.
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My car is quite economic anyway but with the number of miles I drive a week it makes sense to drive a bit more carefully and its better for the environment - win win
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This one was a no-brainer, we should all be driving like this anyway.
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A great idea and really concentrates the mind. Will continue to 'smart drive'!
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This has been a really useful exercise as I have been made to think about how I drive my car. I can honestly say I have saved a couple of pounds per week on fuel.
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I did sometimes forget, but the added incentive of saving money made me do quite well at driving economically.
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I've tried very hard to keep to this pledge as I'm very enthusiastic in any ways to help me save money and helping the environment. I'll definitely be keeping this pledge going.