Going for a drive over the holiday weekend? There are easy ways to save money, improve gas mileage, increase safety, and reduce air pollution while enjoying your trip. With gas prices on the rise again, small changes while driving can add up to big savings. And since about 60 percent of our air pollution in Pima County is caused by motor vehicle use, reducing gasoline use and the associated emissions will keep the air healthier to breathe.

• Check the tire pressure before you hit the road. You can improve your gas mileage, stopping distance, and vehicle handling when riding on properly inflated tires. Find the proper tire pressure for you vehicle on the driver’s door jam, the glove box, or the owner’s manual.

• Stop at the click when refueling to avoid spills and overtaxing your car’s vapor collection system.

• Make sure to tighten your gas cap until it clicks to keep gasoline vapors in the tank where they belong. It will save you money and reduce air pollution.

• Observe the speed limit because gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph.

• Move out from behind large vans and trucks, so you can watch several cars ahead and anticipate the need to slow down. This will help you avoid rapid braking and acceleration, and improve your gas mileage.

By incorporating these tips into your driving habits, you will save money on gasoline, reduce wear and tear on your vehicle, increase safety, and reduce air pollution. For more information on saving money and the environment, visit www.deq.pima.gov and www.PimaCleanAir.com.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 at 1:27 pm and is filed under air pollution, Environmental Quality, Pima County, Southern Arizona, Transportation, Tucson. Tags for this post: Labor Day Driving, Labor Day Weekend, saving gas, tire inflation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.