As soaring gas prices continue to put the squeeze on drivers, experts say little changes in motoring habits can translate into big savings at the pumps.
Average gas prices in Canada have soared from $1.03 a litre a year ago to more than $1.30 in recent weeks. Fears over supply interruptions caused by unrest across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as an increase in demand as the summer driving season approaches, are sending fuel prices soaring, experts say.
But for those who can't park the car in the driveway and use other forms of transportation, there are some easy ways to save on fuel.
Liz Peters of CAA Manitoba says that every 100 pounds of "extra stuff" taking up space in the trunk translates into a one per cent decrease in fuel efficiency. That can add up to an extra one to two weeks of gas each year for the average driver.
And all that lead foot can cause considerable damage to the pocketbook. Aggressive driving in the form of hard stops and fast starts can increase fuel consumption by a whopping 39 per cent.
"That's probably the number one thing and it doesn't get you to your destination that much faster," Peters told CTV Winnipeg.
While everyone knows that keeping up with a maintenance schedule improves a car's fuel efficiency, it's a lesson worth repeating. Regular oil changes and tires kept adequately inflated can increase efficiency by four per cent.
Most tips put the onus on drivers to squeeze every last drop out of their gas tank. For Ford drivers, the company's new Eco Route feature does the thinking for them.
The program will plan the most fuel-efficient path to the driver's destination, factoring in information such as traffic and posted speed limits along the route.
"If you're doing 90 kilometres an hour instead of 120, you're going to be more efficient," said Bryan Ford of Parkside Ford in Winnipeg.
The program also tells the driver how much fuel the car has consumed during the trip, and how much gas is burned while accelerating or idling.
While the good news is drivers can take steps to improve their car's fuel efficiency or cut back on consumption, the bad news is that gas prices are expected to continue to rise as summer approaches.
Jason Toews, co-founder of Gasbuddy.com, predicts that fuel prices will continue to rise throughout the spring, and could hit $1.40 per litre by the Victoria Day long weekend.
"We're going to see gas prices jump around a little bit," Toews recently told The Canadian Press. "But generally speaking, for the next month or so, we're going to see gas prices more or less going up."
With a report from CTV Winnipeg's Eleanor Coopsammy
