Motorists have been urged to drive with a bowl of water on their car seat in a dramatic bid to save on fuel costs. Experts have stressed keeping a bowl of water in the passenger seat will slow drivers down, making them drive more carefully and therefore save fuel.
Petrol and diesel vehicles tend to use up more fuel when accelerating and braking sharply, but this can often be hard to judge. A bowl of water inside the car will be a visual identifier of how aggressively drivers are travelling and could encourage motorists to take it easy. This could pay off, with fuel use likely to drop considerably, saving drivers crucial money when filling up their vehicles.
Experts at ChooseMyCar.com have been among those calling for motorists to consider the simple tip.
They explained: “Keeping an open bowl of water on your passenger seat is a great deterrent for unnecessary acceleration and braking.
“If you hit the accelerator too hard, you’ll see water pour out the sides; likewise, if you’re driving too fast and braking hard you’ll notice water on the seat. The best bowls to use for this are small cereal bowls, with water about an inch from the top.”
Previous research has revealed drivers can save considerable amounts of fuel by slowing down even a fraction.
Data from the AA has revealed that travelling at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.
Meanwhile, 70mph will tend to use up to 9% more fuel than those driving at 60mph. This will then use up 15% more fuel than vehicles that are travelling at 50mph.
Slowing down doesn’t only bring benefits for the fuel tank with motorists also likely to become safer drivers. Travelling at slower speeds means individuals will have plenty of time to react to potential hazards and avoid serious collisions.
Vanarama explained: “Every time you apply the brakes, the energy that you’ve paid for in fuel is lost in heat generated by the brake pads and discs.
“Don’t rev the engine unnecessarily when accelerating, just move gently through the gears, keeping the engine speed to a reasonable level, but without labouring it by being in too high a gear.”