Hypermiling Safely

For those of you who may be unaware, the New Oxford American Dictionary interprets hypermiling as simply the act of making fuel-conserving adjustments to a vehicle and to your driving techniques in order to maximize gas mileage.

As a freelance journalist, I am paid a flat rate without compensation for expenses (like mileage). I get a flat mileage rate tax deduction from the IRS. To maximize my income, it is imperative that I get as many miles as possible from a tank of gas. As a single mother, it is imperative that I put safety first.

Regardless of the type of automobile I have owned - and, trust me, not all, if any, had impressive fuel mileage estimates - I have been able to better my mileage through simple maintenance and driving habits. I have taught my two teenage daughters to drive using these same techniques, and always with safety in mind.

Proper maintenance of your vehicle is one of the safest ways to become a hypermiler. Here are some easy maintenance tips.

Keep your tires properly inflated, but do not overinflate. According to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company overinflation of your tires is actually dangerous. It can lead to premature tread wear and, eventually, the possibility of a blowout.

Change your oil and air filter on a regular basis. Use the lowest viscosity oil for your driving conditions.

Remove unnecessary weight from your vehicle. That seldom used luggage rack should be taken off the car between trips. Do not tow unless necessary.

In addition to properly maintaining your vehicle, most of us need to change our driving habits to get maximum fuel efficiency.

One of the most common driving methods for hypermiling is drafting.

The technique, interestingly explained by Tom Cruise to Nicole Kidman in the movie Days of Thunder, reduces wind resistance. The television show Mythbusters tested the theory of drafting and found it did, indeed, improve gas mileage. At 100 feet behind a large vehicle, the Mythbusters test car gained 11% fuel efficiency.

However, this is not a recommendation to draft. Drafting becomes a safety issue when your car is less than 150 feet behind a semi-truck. At this distance, you put yourself in the truck driver's blind spot, and you have less time to react to any sudden event. In addition, drafting closely can decrease fuel efficiency if it substantially increases your acceleration and braking. Driving at one consistent speed is more fuel efficient.

Here are a few suggestions on how to safely drive to get the best gas mileage.

Plan your route. Drive the furthest distance first to warm up your engine. Return home making stops along the way. A warm engine will get better gas mileage.

Anticipate stops and starts. As much as possible, without disrupting traffic, slow down early when you anticipate a red light, stop light, or turn. Minimize the need to brake suddenly.

Drive the speed limit. Remember the days of 55 miles per hour? Nixon imposed the lower speed limit for good reason; it improved the nation's fuel efficiency.

Turn the car off rather than idling. If you are going to be stopped for more than a minute - at a railroad crossing, picking up your children from school, or waiting for someone in a parking lot - turn your vehicle off. Idling gets zero miles to a gallon.

In order to evaluate how these methods affect your own car's mileage efficiency, keep a log for a few weeks utilizing your current practices. You can easily log your miles per gallon by using your trip meter and dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gallons you purchase at each fill-up. Then, make a few of the changes mentioned and continue to log your miles per gallon. I was pleasantly surprised to see how easily I could improve my car's fuel efficiency. I believe you will, too.