AAA and DOT give advice on how to save gas

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Both AAA Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are advising drivers that the best way to take a little edge off of high gas prices is to slow down.

Officials with DOT note that according to the U.S. Department of Energy, every 5 mph above 60 mph drivers are paying what is equal to an extra 20 cents per gallon.

The AAA also had some other tips to help save on gas.

First, the group recommends drivers avoid quick starts and stops. AAA officials say not only does this waste fuel, but is hard on the vehicle.

Get rid of the junk in the trunk and in other areas of the vehicle is another suggestion from AAA. Lightening the vehicle means better gas mileage.

Making sure the vehicle is on a regular maintenance schedule can also improve gas mileage.

Ensuring that the car’s tires are properly inflated, the vehicle is lubricated and that both ignition and emissions systems are running right will maximize the vehicle’s fuel use, according to AAA.

Wisely planning errands and consolidating trips cuts down on driving time and the amount of miles being driven. AAA suggests that if at all possible plan errands along your daily commute instead of making special trips.

Another idea is to do some comparison shopping online or on the phone before heading out. Why drive to a bunch of stores to compare prices when it could be done without turning the ignition.

Before heading out on a trip or vacation plan the route in advance. AAA officials note that getting lost costs gas.

Using free online services such as Google maps (www.google.com), Yahoo maps (www.yahoo.com) or Mapquest (www.mapquest.com) can help plan trips and prevent you from getting lost.

AAA officials say you should also keep an eye out for locations which offer lower gas prices, but caution against making a special trip just to take advantage of the lower price.

Instead check online for fuel price Web sites or check the online AAA fuel gauge report at www.fuelgaugereport.com

Yet another suggestion is to check ahead for traffic congestion and road construction.

Starting and stopping wears on the car and on the gas gauge.

The DOT offers road construction reports on their Web site at www.dot.wisconsin.gov.

You can also find links to the DOT construction report along with links to the Twin Cities metro traffic and road report Web sites on all of the RiverTown Newspaper Group newspaper Web sites. Simply click on Traffic & Roads on the navigation bar.

Tags: wisconsin, news, travel, gas, prices