SmartTalk
Control your need for speed
Aggressive driving habits, such as speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking, will waste a lot of fuel. These practices
can increase your fuel consumption by as much as 33% on
the highway and 50%
on city streets.
Although road speed is
the number one cause
of fuel consumption, it’s
also the easiest to
control.
If you’re driving a large
delivery truck, you can
maintain a speed of
90 km/hr using just
200 hp. By speeding up
to 110 km/hr, that same
vehicle can require
300 hp. To make
matters worse, the
faster speeds will
shorten tire life by 35%.
In comparison, sensible
driving can:
• result in safer roads
• reduce wear and tear
on car and truck parts
• save fuel
• reduce driver fatigue
As speed increases, a vehicle produces more aerodynamic
drag and rolling resistance and loses more energy through
the driveline, so the engine needs to work harder and use
more fuel to compensate for these forces.
You can overcome some of this effect by holding a steady
speed, staying off the brake (which will simply require you
to accelerate to resume your initial speed) and driving
defensively.
You will need to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
plan your drive
look ahead to anticipate traffic patterns
not over-use the brakes
not be on and off the accelerator
use your cruise control whenever possible
adjust driving habits to conditions on the road
6
Use your cruise control
If your vehicle is equipped with cruise control, you can use it
to maintain a constant speed on an open stretch of road. By
setting the device for slightly less than the speed limit, you
won’t have to reset it frequently. This will eliminate the need
to ride the brakes or make frequent lane changes.
Select the highest gear
By using the highest
gear possible on your
transmission, you can
reduce your engine’s
overall speed and drive
in “slack throttle,”
meaning that the vehicle
is not being driven at a
high rpm. Also known as
the “golden range”
between the peak torque
and peak horsepower of
the engine, this position
will leave you in a
position to shift to a
lower gear when
approaching a hill or
passing another vehicle.
However, be careful not
to “lug” the engine. This
underpowered situation
can increase carbon
buildup in the engine,
overheat the transmission, and lead to
frequent shifts that will
add stress to the drivetrain. (You can identify this condition
by attempting to accelerate. If the vehicle doesn’t speed up,
you need to shift into a lower gear.)
These steps can all make a difference.
Summary:
Control your need for speed
• Road speed is the number one cause of fuel
consumption.
• Maintain a steady speed by
• planning your drive
• looking ahead to anticipate traffic patterns
• never over-using the brakes
• not being on and off the accelerator
• adjusting your driving habits to road conditions
• using cruise control when possible
– set slightly below speed limit
• using the highest gear possible
SmartTalk
• Road speed is the number one cause
of fuel consumption.
• Maintain a steady speed by
• planning your drive
• looking ahead to anticipate traffic
patterns
• never over-using the brakes
• not being on and off the accelerator
Control your need for speed
6
• adjusting your driving habits to road
conditions
• using cruise control when possible
– set slightly below speed limit
• using the highest gear possible