Part two of our three part blog series on fuel saving for drivers. As well as saving you money, you drive just that bit greener
Get set….
* Take off roof racks and trailers if they’re not use. They increase the drag and cause you to burn more fuel.

- Image by psykle via Flickr
* 61% percent of journeys are under two miles and arguably a waste of fuel and money. short journeys – walk or cycle them instead.
* Engines will be colder on short journeys, and this can double fuel consumption. Do you really need to complete that short journey?
* Planning – as many jobs as possible in one trip saves you money. Aim to get as much as you can out of the journey. Three jobs in one trip is better for the environment than three individual trips!
* Sitting in queues costs money and wastes fuel. Avoid congestion by checking the local news or
http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/home.php for delays before you set off. If you hear of delays and jams, route around them. We use Tom Tom Live for this and it’s value is immense.
* Only travel in the rush hour if you absolutely have to, this is more for your sanity as well as fuel conservation.
* Do you know where you are going? Motorists waste 350,000 tonnes of fuel per year getting lost! You can plan your route on the http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp, it’s free too. Alternatively, buy a Sat Nav system, worth their weight in gold and safer than a map.
* Idle your engine during its initial start for no more than 30 seconds. An idling engine produces 80 percent more pollution than when the vehicle is moving. Modern car engines warm up faster, when they are in motion.
Part one was posted yesterday, and part three tomorrow.
Sarah
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