Everyday Driving Tips That Can Save You Time, Money, and Stress

Time wasted on roadside breakdowns or traffic jams, money drained on costly repairs and high fuel bills, and the stress that comes with them are all avoidable. But in 2024, the AAA received more than 27 million emergency roadside service calls across the U.S. Of these, around 13 million cars needed towing, while approximately 7 million were experiencing battery issues. Most of these issues are avoidable with preventative maintenance.

As important as this approach to maintaining your vehicle is, it’s not the only way to prevent all sorts of headaches. From the way you drive to finding the best cheap car insurance that offers great coverage and reducing your load, there are a few everyday driving tips and tricks that can save you time, money, and stress, helping your trusty car or truck and your hard-earned dollars go much further.

Warm Up and Avoiding Excessive Idling

Diesel engines are made for powerful performance, but they wear hard when cold. To improve your fuel efficiency, reduce wear, and prevent carbon build-up, start your engine and wait for 20 to 30 seconds before driving off. Those few seconds make a huge difference.

Make sure you don’t idle for any longer, especially if your vehicle is newer, as prolonged idling wastes fuel and can lead to various problems. Among these are excessive cylinder wear, incomplete combustion causing soot build-up, and fuel contamination.

Avoid Aggressive Driving

Being the potential cause of an accident isn’t the only reason to avoid aggressive driving behavior. Speeding, harsh acceleration, and hard braking can cause significant wear and tear on your vehicle, potentially requiring repairs or a trip to the shop sooner than expected. Aggressive driving also wastes fuel. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it can reduce your gas mileage by 10 to 40% in stop-and-go traffic and 15 to 30% on the highway.

Some of the ways you can avoid driving aggressively include:

• Accelerate gradually: Press down on the gas pedal gently and consistently, saving fuel and reducing wear.
• Drive at a consistent speed: Maintain a steady speed on the highway. If you have cruise control, use it for greater fuel efficiency.
• Brake early: Avoid hard stops by braking early when you know you’ll be coming to a stop, as this prevents excessive wear on your brakes and saves fuel.

Understand Your Auto Insurance Policy

Ensuring you have a thorough understanding of your policy can save you money, time, and stress if your vehicle ever breaks down or is damaged. Make sure you know what:

• Is and isn’t covered.
• Your coverage limits are.
• The deductible is (what you need to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance pays).

It’s also important that you know how to file a claim and when to report accidents. If you only have basic coverage, consider shopping around for cost-effective insurance with comprehensive coverage, as this offers protection for damage or the loss of your vehicle not caused by a collision. Although you may end up paying a little more per month, a comprehensive plan can save you a significant amount of money in the long run and offer peace of mind.

Use the AC Moderately

Avoid the temptation to use your vehicle’s air conditioner excessively, even on swelteringly hot days, as overuse can impact fuel efficiency. However, this doesn’t mean having to put up with driving in uncomfortable heat.

Instead, roll down your windows when driving at lower speeds, as fresh air circulating in the cab will reduce the temperature. If you increase your speed or are driving on the highway, roll up your windows and switch to using the AC, as keeping your windows down will affect your vehicle’s aerodynamics and affect fuel consumption.

Take Time to Plan Your Routes

Whether you drive around town or across your state regularly, there’s a good chance you take the same routes every time when heading to certain destinations. While taking a familiar route does have its benefits, spending a few moments planning your journey can ultimately save you time and money.

Use your vehicle’s built-in GPS system, a navigation app on your phone, or an old-fashioned map to find the shortest route. You’ll reach your destination faster and save on diesel. If you’re using GPS navigation, pay attention to the tips it provides, such as route recommendations to avoid traffic congestion or construction work.

Keep Your Vehicle’s DPF Clean

If your vehicle was manufactured after 2009, it almost certainly has a diesel particulate filter (DPF). These filters were developed to reduce exhaust emissions. However, they can become blocked quickly due to various reasons, such as using the wrong engine oil or using your vehicle almost exclusively for short, quick journeys.

Given that a new filter from a vehicle manufacturer can cost between $3,000 and $10,000, replacing your car or truck’s DPF can be expensive. The good news is that, if your DPF is blocked, cleaning it might be as simple as going for a drive.

High-temperature driving burns the soot blocking the DPF away, so keep your car’s filter clean by going for a 15 to 20-minute drive at a steady speed, with revs exceeding 2,500rpm, on the highway every two weeks.

Lighten the Load for Enhanced Fuel Efficiency

Treating your vehicle like extra storage space can have a negative impact on its fuel efficiency, as even an extra 100 pounds in your car can reduce its miles-per-gallon (MPG) by as much as 2%. The MPG reduction could be higher in larger vehicles. Similarly, driving around with a loaded roof rack on your vehicle increases aerodynamic drag and can reduce fuel economy by 5%.

Improve your vehicle’s fuel economy by lightening the load whenever possible. Avoid storing bulky or heavy items on the back seat or in the trunk ,and keep only the tools you might need for emergency roadside repairs, such as changing a tire. If you know you’re not going to use your roof racks, remove them from your vehicle.

Move Forward with Smart Driving Tips

Getting you from A to B, your vehicle is one of your most important assets and should never become a drain on your time, money, or peace of mind. By making a few simple changes, you can ensure you get years of useful service from it without breaking the bank.