Smarter Driving Tips

There are a few small things we can all do when we drive our cars to help reduce the amount of fuel we burn and so cut down on CO₂ emissions.

The secret is to help reduce the amount of work your engine has to do because the greater the workload, the more fuel is burned so the higher the CO₂ emissions.

To get you started we've put together a list of Smarter Driving Tips and advice that you can put into practice straight away.

Check your Tyre pressure

Under inflated tyres create more resistance when your car is moving, which means your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used and more CO₂ emissions are produced. Simply check and adjust your tyre pressures regularly and also before long journeys.
An effective way of automatically seeing if your tyre pressures are low, Pirelli has created K-PRESSURE Optic, a simple and straight forward valve cap which changes colour to indicate when the tyre is not inflated at the right pressure.
This will help to increase the life of your tyres and also use less fuel. Under inflated tyres increase CO₂ but over inflated tyres can be unsafe so always refer to your car manual for the correct tyre pressure.
Remember, a car with a heavier load may need different air pressures in the tyres.

Less clutter in your car means less CO2

Clutter in your boot is extra weight your engine has to lug around.
By removing it, you could reduce your engine's workload.
This will burn less fuel and cut your CO₂ emissions so unload any items you won't need for your journey before you set out.

Driving at an appropriate speed reduces CO2

Speed limits are the maximum lawful speeds which may be driven in ideal circumstances.
Drivers should never exceed the speed limit. Staying at or within the speed limit increases driver safety and reduces CO₂ emissions.
At 70mph you could be using up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more fuel than at 50mph. Find out more on how to be safe on the road by visiting TyreSafe section.

Less stopping and starting means less CO2

Every time you stop then start again in a traffic queue, the engine uses more fuel and therefore produces more CO₂.
Keep an eye on the traffic ahead and slow down early by gently lifting your foot off the accelerator while keeping the car in gear.
In this way, the traffic may have started moving again by the time you approach the vehicle in front, so you can then change gear and be on your way.

Over revving accelerates emissions

Modern car engines are designed to be efficient from the moment they are switched on, so revving up like a Formula 1 car in pole position only wastes fuel and increases engine wear.
Using your gears wisely by changing up a gear a little earlier can also reduce revs.
If you drive a diesel car try changing up a gear when the rev counter reaches 2000rpm.
For a petrol car change up at 2500rpm.

Idling is wasting fuel

When the engine is idling you're wasting fuel and adding to CO₂ emissions.
If you're likely to be at a standstill for more than 3 minutes, simply switch off the engine.