With the summer driving season upon us and near record high prices at the pump, we can all use a tip or two to increase the gas mileage in our vehicles.  Here are a few quick tips that if followed can increase your fuel economy by as much as 20%.  Most of these tips won't just save you money, they will also keep you safer on the road.

1.  Watch Your Speed - Most people don't realize this, but when you take your MPH over 55, you are drastically impacting your gas mileage.  The EPA estimates that keeping the needle at 55 (vs 65) can increase your gas mileage by as much as 15%.

2.  Use Cruise Control - If you have it, cruise control can be a great way to conserve fuel.  Using cruise control on the highway can keep you from unnecessary acceleration,  and help you maintain constant speeds which will have a big impact on your fuel economy.  

3.  Accelerate and Brake Smoothly - Fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic, and hard breaking can be a huge waste of fuel, and can wear out your cars brakes and tires very quickly.  Keep a safe distance between vehicles in front of you, and anticipate traffic ahead to allow more time to brake and accelerate gradually.  

4.  No Idling - The engines of today don't need a warm up.  Start the car immediately and drive away, don't leave your car idling.  It can be tempting to start the car and let the A/C cool it down in the dog days of summer, but this can have a huge negative impact on your gas mileage.

5.  Keep Tires Properly Inflated - Check your tires and make sure they are inflated to the recommended tire pressure.  This small step can reduce resistance and increase your fuel economy by as much as 5%.  This will also save you money as under-inflated tires wear down much faster.

6.  Get a Tune Up - A regular engine tune-up keeps your vehicle running efficiently.   Little things like an alignment will make keep your wheels from fighting each other and wasting fuel.  New air filters increase the air flow, and reduce the load on your engine..  These small things along with other aspects of a regular tune-up can go a long way in terms of saving you fuel.

7.  Close Windows on the Highways - Try not to drive with the windows open unless your speed is under 55 mph.  Driving on the highways with the windows open can increase the drag, and lower the fuel economy.

8. Minimize A/C Use - While everyone likes to stay comfortable when possible, remember that the A/C is one of the biggest culprits of poor summer gas mileage.  Try to minimize the use of the A/C when possible.  Little things like proper use of vents, and parking in the shade can keep your A/C from working overtime in the hot summer months.

The summer is a very busy time on the roadways, be careful out there!

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month comes to a close, I wanted to leave our readers with a post about the dangers of distracted driving. Inattention on the roadways is a proven killer - the good news is that it can be avoided by staying focused on the roadways.  

80% of all crashes recently studied by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute involved driver inattention within 3 seconds of the crash.  Below are a few statistics about driver behaviors that increase risk of accident:

Texting - Increases Risk 23 Times
Reaching for a moving object -Increases Risk 9 Times

Driving Drowsy - Increases Risk 4 Times

Reading - Increases Risk 3.4 Times

Applying Makeup - Increases Risk 3 Times

Talking on Cell Phone - Increases Risk 4 Times 

In 2009, 756 people died on Virginia Roads.  There were more than 116,744 crashes resulting in 62,796 injuries during the same period.  Driver inattention was the leading factor in these crashes.  The very nature of an accident is that it is unexpected.  Be prepared and aware on the roadways and you can drastically reduce your risk of being in an auto accident.  

The state of Virginia has just announced a new program aimed at providing motorcyclists prompt and proper care after an accident.  The program includes new "Rider Alert Cards" that will be placed inside the riders' helmet that contains medical information, emergency contacts and other pertinent information.  The goal is that first responders will have quicker access to this life saving information at the scene of the crash.  A sticker on the outer shell of the cyclists helmet will indicate that the biker has the alert card, which will be placed inside the helmet. The cards are not required as of yet, but could be at some point in the future.

While this might not be the end all be all for motorcycle safety, we applaud the state for taking strides to increase safety for cyclists.  Motorcycles make up only about 3% of the total motor vehicles on the road, motorcycle fatalities account for 11% of all highway fatalities each year.  Another troubling statistic is that while only 20% of auto accidents result in injury or death, over 80% of motorcycle accidents do.

If you are a motorcyclist, consider this program, and as always try to be safe and aware on the road.  Now that it is springtime there will be more motorcycles on the roads, and other drivers should try to be aware of cyclists as they are not the most visible vehicles on the road.