News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520)
740-3343
Tucson, Arizona (April
20, 2005) – April
is National Car Care Month and by following some easy tips,
individuals can save fuel, save money, and spare the air. Pima
County Department of Environmental Quality is offering vehicle
maintenance and driving tips that will make a difference to
your budget and the air you breathe as gasoline costs continue
to rise. Millions of dollars worth of gasoline are wasted each
day in the United States, due to simple neglect by vehicle
owners. Competent automotive repair facilities can assist motorists
with some of the tips provided, however, individuals themselves
can perform most of these tips to reduce vehicle emissions
and fuel use.
“With the majority of our
air pollution being caused by motor vehicle use, anything we
can do to reduce the amount of gasoline we burn will not only
save us money, but also keep our air healthy to breathe,” said
Beth Gorman of Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.
The majority of these tips are compiled from the National Car
Care Council and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Vehicle Maintenance
Inflate tires
properly - under-inflated tires can cost a mile
or two per gallon of gasoline used.
Replace worn
spark plugs - dirty spark plugs cause misfires
which waste fuel.
Replace clogged
air filter - dirty air filters can decrease gas
mileage by 10 percent, costing you about 15 cents for each
gallon used.
Replace faulty
vehicle gas cap - leaking gas caps allow gasoline
to evaporate from your tank wasting gasoline and contributing
to air pollution. And
make sure your gas cap is tightened after each use. Nationally,
gas cap problems waste 147,000,000 gallons of gasoline
per year through vaporization, contributing to air pollution.
Driving Tips
Avoid idling -
sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon! Letting the vehicle
warm up for a minute and driving slowly at first is all it
needs.
Drive sensibly -
aggressive driving and rapid acceleration can lower gas mileage
by as much as 33 percent on highway and 5 percent on city streets,
which results in a cost of 7 to 49 cents per gallon of gasoline
used.
Observe speed
limits - gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds
above 60 m.p.h. Each mph over 60 is like paying an additional
10 cents per gallon of gasoline used.
Use the cruise -
cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant
speed, which will save you gas.
Commuting and
Planning Trips
Combine errands -
several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as
much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance
when the engine is warm.
Stagger work
hours - by staggering your work hours to avoid
peak rush hours you will spend less time sitting in traffic
and consume less fuel.
Pick and choose -
if you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the
best gas mileage whenever possible.
Carpool a few
times a week - cut your weekday gasoline bill and
save wear and tear on your car by sharing the ride.
Try transit -
reduce driving stress, save money, catch up on reading, and
meet new friends by driving to a Park & Ride lot and taking
the bus from there. Or combine exercise with your commute by
trying a brisk walk or bike ride to the nearest bus stop. All
Sun Tran buses now have bike racks.
Pack light -
a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent,
so place items in trunk or rear of vehicle whenever possible.
An extra 100 lbs. in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1-2
percent.
Choose Efficiency
Thinking about
buying a new car? Selecting which vehicle to purchase
is the most important fuel economy decision you’ll
make. The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and
one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $2,800 over 5 years. (Based
on 15,000 miles per year at $2.30 per gallon of gas.)
###
