What is Eco Safe Driving?

A number of years ago a new box appeared on the driving test report form called eco safe driving. (Eco safe meaning economy or economical style of driving).

This was to bring to the attention of driving test candidates the effects their driving style had on the environment.

Lets look at some of the ways we can drive in a more eco safe manner:

Don't accelerate too harshly

When you accelerate harshly using too much gas more fuel is used. The more fuel used the more emissions that your exhaust emits into the atmosphere.

Match the gear of the car to the speed that you are travelling at

At 30 mph you would normally be in 3rd gear or 4th gear dependant upon the road conditions.

If you were driving in 2nd gear the car would be revving higher than it needs to and use more fuel, which in turn again creates more exhaust emissions.

Plan ahead for your journey

If you are constantly accelerating and then braking due to not reading the road correctly you will end up using more fuel than needed.

This also creates an unpleasant ride for passengers and wears your brake pads out prematurely.

Turn your engine off

If stuck in a queue of traffic which is not moving consider switching off your engine so that you are not using fuel unnecessarily.

Some cars have an automatic start / stop function to help reduce emissions while your car is at a full stop.

Other ways to protect the environment are:

The vehicle which you purchase

When purchasing a vehicle choose a vehicle which is fuel efficient.

Smaller engines are normally sized between 1.0 litre and 1.3 litres and are sometimes turbo charged.

Is there an alternative to driving to your destination?

Decide if you can walk to your destination rather than use your car.

If you only have a short distance to travel is it really necessary to drive?

Your car maintenance schedule

If your car isn't serviced properly e.g. wrong engine oil or your catalytic converter is damaged, more harmful emissions may be emitted from your exhaust.

Making sure that your tyres are correctly inflated

Under inflated tyres or a slow puncture means that your tyres will struggle to turn as freely as they would if they were at optimum pressure level.

The extra power needed to turn an underinflated tyre the more fuel that you use so your vehicles emissions increase.

Manchester Driver Training provides an eco safe driving course for drivers who would like to learn economical driving techniques.