Motorists could lower their fuel consumption by a whopping 175% this weekend due to a simple trick anyone can do this Bank Holiday weekend. Setting off earlier in the day to avoid traffic may seem like a sensible idea to save time, but it could also have a major impact on fuel use.
According to experts at Michelin, sitting in traffic idling sucks up petrol and diesel with drivers set to make major savings by dodging delays. The French tyre manufacturer stressed that traffic was “costly” with combustion vehicles likely to use up 0.8 litres of fuel per hour. Instead of sitting in a queue with a car engine simply ticking over and burning fuel, waking up earlier and dodging the best times could be key.
Michelin said: “ An idling vehicle uses about 0.8 litres of fuel per hour, and with the acceleration and braking associated with traffic jams, its consumption increases by almost 90% on motorways and 175% in urban areas.
“As a result, traffic jams are costly and generate significant air pollution.
The RAC has warned of traffic chaos this Bank Holiday weekend, with almost 18 million road trips expected over the four days.
Friday and Saturday are tipped to be the busiest with 3.3million leisure trips by car predicted each day. Despite this, the RAC has revealed the best times to travel when traffic is likely to have less of an impact.
On Friday, the RAC urges drivers to set off before 2pm to dodge the busiest road conditions.
Motorists should leave their starting point by 5pm on Saturday and before 11am on Sunday to avoid the worst of the traffic.
Those heading home on Bank Holiday Monday should leave before 11am with the worst traffic expected between 11am and 6pm.
Alongside a higher fuel use, increased idling can reduce the lifespan of the engine and contribute to higher air pollution.
Michelin added: “Vehicles consume fuel even when they are not in motion, leading to unnecessary expenditure. In the face of rising fuel prices, fleet managers must mitigate wastage caused by idling.
“Prolonged idling periods, whether on the road or parked, significantly escalate fuel expenses and thereby thwart efforts to optimise cost efficiency.”
