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Saving you money: How to make your car more fuel efficient before traveling

Heavy road traffic and high gas prices have made traveling expensive, so here are ways to save a few bucks on the road.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Travel for Thanksgiving is picking up this year. AAA said the number of people expected to travel is about the same as they were pre-pandemic, and gas is a little more expensive than it was last year. Here are a few ways to make your gas last while you're on your way.

The first thing you should do is make sure your car is running smoothly. Inspections and quick updates like an oil change, brake checks and filling and rotating your tires will keep it in tip-top shape on your drive.

“It is a good rule of thumb to always have the shop that you trust to inspect your vehicle before you head out on a trip, especially if it's going to be anything over 500 miles,” said Dustin Harbin, the shop manager at Legends Auto and Fleet.

He also advised that drivers should leave prepared by having extra fluids, like antifreeze and oil, in their vehicles. He also urged them to not forget to put more air in their tires, including their spares!

Now that the car is ready to go, it's time to hit the road. Here are five tips to make driving more fuel efficient. 

  1. Drive Sensibly. What does that mean? Do less lane-switching, as well as quickly speeding up or braking hard. You burn more gas driving aggressively and weaving between traffic.
  2. Observe the speed limit. Fuel economy decreases significantly above 50 mph, and for every 5 mph faster you go, efficiency drops even more.
  3. Avoid bringing extra cargo, like roof carriers and trailers. It makes your car less aerodynamic and creates a drag from the winds.
  4. Remove any excess weight, travel light for the same reasons!
  5. Avoid idling if you can. You could waste a quarter to half-gallon of gas per hour letting your car idle; compared to just starting the car again, which only takes 10 seconds of gas to get going. So if you’re at a rest stop, you’re better off turning off your car.

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