7 Tips for Saving Gas and Beating the Christmas Traffic

PHOTO: Make the most of every drop of fuel as you join the first full-blown Christmas rush in three years.

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Christmas should be fun for everyone, but when EDSA feels like a giant parking lot on a Friday night in December, it’s hard to muster any kind of holiday cheer. With traffic congestion approaching pre-pandemic levels, this year is expected to be daily Carmageddon in December, as malls extend their working hours to accommodate the Christmas rush.

Traffic may well be beyond anyone’s control but how it’s dealt with greatly affects fuel consumption. The good news is that there are simple things that any driver can do to make the most of the fuel in your tank even in epic Christmas traffic.

1. Check tires – Make sure tires are at manufacturer-recommended pressure, this is usually indicated on a tire’s profile, or in newer cars, on a sticker on the edge of the driver’s door. If air pressure is too low, it will increase fuel consumption. The steering system should also be checked regularly in order to make certain it is balanced with the tires. 
2. Drive smoothly – Anticipate stops and lift off the gas long before the stopping point to avoid having to break hard. When pulling out of a stop, accelerate slowly and gradually. Hard braking and quick acceleration waste a lot of fuel.
3. Make a list of errands – Plan your trips ahead and group nearby destinations together. If unnecessary, don’t travel at rush hour. Not so fun fact: the average speed on EDSA at peak hours in December 2021 was a stupefying 11 kph, slower than the average bicycle rider, and there were fewer cars on the road then. So this Christmas, make every trip count by planning routes, stops and activities ahead of time.
4. Better Fuel – Not all fuels are the same, Shell FuelSave is designed for better fuel efficiency. Filling-up with Shell FuelSave, coupled with sensible driving, can help reduce fuel consumption. It’s best to fill-up and make a few big fuel stop rather than several small ones to save on time as well. 
5. Minimize idling – Even a small car idling for 1 minute or more consumes more fuel than restarting the car. So if a car has to remain stationary for some time, turn off the engine. 3 minutes of engine idling consumes enough fuel to power the car for a full kilometer.
6. Keep your engine clean – Racking-up a lot of city mileage? Be sure to fill up and add Shell V-Power to your fuel mix this season. This will get rid of any gunk deposits that engines tend to build up – from the long hours sitting in traffic. Shell V-Power will ensure a cleaner engine and optimum engine performance.
7. Drive at fuel efficient speeds – Each type of vehicle has an ideal economical speed at which fuel consumption is lowest. Usually, this is between 80-90 km/h. If you do get out on the road, stay within this range.