Ways to drive in a greener way

There are several methods that you can employ to ensure that you drive in a green way. The advantages of this are that you consume less fuel pro rata so it is good for your bank balance too, and driving well and smoothly is also good for the longevity of your vehicle too, helping to preserve its value for longer, so it makes sense all round to drive in a green fashion.

The key rule is that if you drive in a smooth manner and at a slower speed then you will reduce your fuel usage. Of course you should not drive slower than it is safe to do so, sometimes driving too slowly is dangerous.

You should avoid harsh movements like suddenly zooming off or whacking on the breaks (harsh acceleration or deceleration in other words), and you should ensure that you stick to the speed limits. The higher the speed the more fuel you are on average going to use to cover the same distance of ground.

Remember to change gears at the correct time, as this will save fuel and reduce emissions. The recommended way to do this is to look at the revs, and to change up a gear when the rev counter hits 2,500 RPM for petrol cars.

Finally there are common sense rules that many ignore - such as leaving the engine on when you are waiting several minutes to pick someone up - if you don't want the green side of it then imagine that you are burning money which is what you are doing in the form of the fuel that costs money - switch the engine off; and also don't start the engine before you intend to drive off. Many start the engine then sit there for a minute or two fiddling with the radio, mirrors etc - do that before you switch the engine on then go!

Related Articles...

driving theory test
How to get your provisional driving license
In order to take the theory test, and ultimately the practical driving test, you will need to have a valid provisional driving license. Indeed you need the provisional license in order to be able...

Cost of a driving theory test
If you are learning to drive a car in the UK, then there is not just the practical test to think about. You must also pass a theory test in order to be able to take the driving practical test...

Tips on driving with a heavy load
When you have passed your test and been driving for a while, you might find yourself driving with a heavy load. For instance if you are going on holiday then you might have lots of stuff that...

Using emergency telephones
There are emergency telephones along motorways. There are telephones that occur roughly once per mile along the motorway which are connected to the emergency services. There are also blue and...

Driving Test and Independent Driving
Independent driving - where the candidate is not following the directions given at each stage by the instructor but rather following a route, e.g. following road signs to Town X until the instructor...

Mock Driving Theory
On our Mock Driving Theory page you can practice no fewer than fifteen different mock tests. Each of them...

Tips on braking on snow and ice
Braking on snow and ice takes a lot longer than it does on a normal road in ordinary conditions. But you might be very surprised at how long it can take. Infact tests have shown that it can...

Before Learning to Drive
The minimum age at which you are allowed to learn to drive a car on public roads is 17. As you probably know, you are not allowed to drive legally on your own until you pass your test. This means...

Vehicles that cannot be used for a practical test
The vast majority of drivers will of course use the vehicle of their instructor or driving school when they take their practical test and so will not need to worry about the vehicle. However...

Test your Driving Theory
Want to test your driving theory knowledge? We have all the multiple choice revision questions for car drivers together with a range of hazard perception clips. With our unique feedback and...


Back to home page of driving theory test questions