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Does driving fast burn more gas?
I want to save money due to the increase in gas prices, a volatile market, and job insecurity. I thought a great place to start would be by cutting my gas consumption by driving more efficiently. Does driving fast burn more gas than driving slowly?
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Changing your
driving habits
is an awesome way to start saving money. In response to your question, driving fast may burn more gas, but it’s all about how you look at it.If you look at mpg for a car, you may see that highway driving is more efficient than city driving. But when you think about it, you’re driving more slowly in the city. So how can this be? When you drive in the city, you’re putting a heavier workload on the engine by starting and stopping and idling. This actually uses more gas than if you were driving faster on the interstate.
Conversely, driving too fast can burn more gas than city driving. When you’re mashing the accelerator, driving aggressively, or driving erratically, your fuel injectors compensate by pumping more fuel to the engine. The result is a drastic drop-off in fuel economy.
However, a sweet spot sits right in the middle. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, your car’s efficiency hits its maximum at speeds around 50 mph. When you’re driving on a road without any stops, such as the highway, you also maintain a consistent speed, which effectively pushes your car’s fuel economy to its peak.
You don’t have to burn extra gas without reason, just like you don’t have to burn money without reason. If you’ve noticed an increase in your car insurance rates, use the
Jerry
app to comparison shop for affordable car insurance.Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that will search for the best quotes from over 50 top-rated insurers in minutes. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy new insurance and cancel your old policy. Users save an average of $887 per year.
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