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
Testing your driving ability
The driving part of the test to assess if you are safe to let on the roads is called the practical test, and it lasts in the region of 40 minutes in total. The purpose is to assess if you can drive...

Using head restraints
Your car will have head restraints in it, but do you take the time to adjust these before using the vehicle and ensuring they are set at the correct level for you? Head restraints in vehicles are...

Hazard Perception
There has been a significant increase in the focus of hazard perception and hazard awareness in the last few years since the introduction by the DSA of a separate hazard perception element to the...

Who needs to take a theory test
A theory test is part of the process required for anyone who wants to become a qualified driver in the UK. There are two stages to being a standard car driver: first passing a theory test, and then...

Tyre pressure checking
The one check that everyone knows to perform is to check the pressure of their tyres, but a visual inspection is not enough. Clearly you can spot something really obvious this way, such as if a...

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...

What a slippery road surface sign could mean
The problem with a slippery road surface sign is this: whilst you know what it means, you don't know what it means. If that sounds confusing, then the point is simply this - what is it that is...

Vulnerable road users - pedestrians
Pedestrians whether old or young are all potentially vulnerable. Any impact at all on a pedestrian is potentially fatal, and that goes for a pedestrian of any age. Of course within the class...

What time of day should I book my driving test?
This is entirely up to you and so there is no right or wrong answer to this. Many of us function either better in the morning or in the afternoon. If you are a morning person then you will...

Road position and large vehicles
In a car there are of course blind spots, but as soon as you drive a lorry you realise how significant the blind spots are for those vehicles. For one simple thing even with vans you can't...


Back to home page of driving theory test questions