Eco-driving and safe driving - turn on the mindset on the road

Being an eco-driving brother will save fuel consumption by following the rules of defensive driving on our roads, it will be safer.

Safe driving - what is it?

The easiest way to say is a driving style that can behave correctly in any traffic situation, even the most unpredictable and dangerous.

“By applying safe driving rules, we can minimize the risk of accidents and collisions,” says Andrzej Tatarczuk, a driving instructor from Katowice. - Why? We can consciously avoid dangerous situations that are the result of terrible road conditions and the mistakes of other drivers.

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We can also talk about defensive driving when we have auto mechanic skills. “For example, we regularly check the oil level, all fluids, tire pressure, we go for technical inspection,” explains Andrzej Tatarczuk.

Defensive driving also includes the art of choosing a car. Experts advise buying light-colored cars because they are more visible on the road. Dark and gray colors are less recognizable against the background of asphalt.

“It is also worth giving up excessive tinting of windows, or hanging various kinds of talismans or CDs on the rear-view mirror,” says Tatarchuk. – It reduces visibility and can be distracting.

Before you hit the road

Defensive driving requires responsibility on the road, but above all foresight. So, before we start the car, drop it, and hit the road, there are a few basic things we need to do:

– Checking if we have clean windows and lights.

– Set the seat, head restraints and steering wheel to the correct height.

– Check the setting of the exterior mirrors and rear-view mirrors.

“We fasten our seat belts and make sure that the passengers do the same.

- Before launching, we check whether we can join the movement, we also signal this maneuver with an indicator.

On my way

Once we've managed to get stuck in traffic and want to follow the rules of safe driving, there are a few basic things we need to remember.

“Let's keep a greater distance from the car in front,” advises Junior Inspector Jacek Zamorowski from the Police Headquarters in Opole. “If the car in front of us slows down, we won’t crash into its trunk. We will also have better visibility for overtaking.

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Let's not get too close to trucks and buses as we make it difficult for them to maneuver. If visibility is poor, take your foot off the gas. On the other hand, in strong winds, be careful when leaving for empty places (for example, from the forest). A stronger gust can cause the vehicle to move off the road.

During frosts, you should pay attention to all kinds of bridges and culverts with water under them. Very often, an invisible layer of ice forms on the road in such places. On the other hand, when we are stuck in traffic or we slow down on the highway let's turn on the hazard lights to warn oncoming drivers.

“When turning left, keep the steering wheel straight,” says Andrzej Tatarczuk. - When someone hits the back of your car, we will not be pushed into the oncoming lane.

Let's follow the principle of limited trust, keep an eye on all drivers and pedestrians, who often get right under the wheels of the car. Also, never rush other drivers with a sound or light signal. If someone is forcing us to speed up, it's best to get out of the way.

We drive ecologically

Eco-driving means an environmentally friendly and at the same time economical way of driving. “It minimizes the car's negative impact on the environment and at the same time contributes to fuel economy from 5 to even 25 percent,” says Zbigniew Veseli from the Renault driving school.

10 commandments of an eco-driver

1. Shift into a higher gear as soon as possible. For gasoline engines, shift gears before the engine reaches 2500 rpm, for diesel engines - below 1500 rpm, of course, if safety reasons allow.

2. Maintain a constant speed using the highest possible gear.

3. Remove unnecessary cargo from the vehicle.

4. Ignite without adding gas.

5. Close windows - use air flow (at higher speeds).

6. Look around and anticipate the traffic situation. This way you will avoid repeated braking and acceleration.

7. Slow down the engine without shifting it to neutral.

8. Check tire pressure regularly.

9. Stop the engine when parked for more than 30-60 seconds.

10. Do not warm up the engine before driving, even in winter.

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Keeping your vehicle in good condition also contributes to lower fuel consumption. We need to eliminate all unnecessary rolling resistance. Therefore, it is worth checking the brakes, adjusting the engine, choosing the right tires for the suspension.

“Let's not overdo it with air conditioning,” says Zbigniew Veseli from the Renault driving school. – This has a big impact on higher fuel consumption.

So let's use it wisely. At speeds up to 50 km / h, we will try to open the windows. At higher speeds, we can turn on the air conditioner and close the windows, because the air entering the car also increases fuel consumption.

Slavomir Dragula