Our temperatures have hit the 90s for 22 out of the past 23 days and summer vacation is on many minds. If you plan on driving to your destination. Here are some tips to save fuel and money from our partners at Earth Gauge.

Courtesy: The Alliance to Save Energy

Smart Summer Driving

As the weather warms up, many people are hitting the road for summer vacation. The Alliance to Save Energy calculated that the average U.S. household will spend nearly 3,500 dollars fueling up vehicles this year, even with lower gas prices. The good news is that maintaining your vehicle and using smart driving techniques can make the gas in your tank last longer – and put a few dollars back in your pocket. And, a well-maintained vehicle emits fewer pollutants that contribute to ground-level ozone pollution on hot summer days.

• Keep tires properly inflated. You’ll increase mileage by up to 3.3 percent and save about 60 dollars per year. Check the vehicle owner’s manual for the proper pressure levels.
• Lose the extra baggage. Leave any unnecessary items at home to lighten the load – for every 100 extra pounds, mileage drops by about 2 percent. That’s about 40 dollars wasted.
• Chill out. Aggressive driving – speeding, quick acceleration and rapid braking – can drop gas mileage significantly at highway speeds, to the tune of about 980 dollars per year! Around town, aggressive driving can drop mileage by about 5 percent, costing 98 dollars per year.
• Kill the engine. Idling gets zero miles per gallon. Depending on the size of your vehicle’s engine and how much air conditioning you use, you could waste up to half a gallon of fuel per hour sitting idle. Turning off the engine and restarting uses minimal fuel and reduces emissions.