Motorists can help keep the planet green without having to stop driving their cars and here are a few things drivers can do to make a green impact rather than an environmentally negative impact while driving.

The first consideration is to remove any unnecessary weight from the car, such as a roof rack, which can cause wind drag. If the rack cannot be detached for whatever reason then all bulky items that are not needed, like golf clubs or tools, should be removed immediately. The lighter the car the less drag and therefore less fuel will be needed to run it. Also if possible keep sunroofs and windows closed and use the air conditioner as little as possible to avoid making the engine work harder.

The choice of a new car can also make a big impact on the environment and the green conscious buyer will do some research and discover which are the most fuel efficient cars and/or which cars have an electric motor that switches on to accelerate the engine and is recharged when the car is driving.

Motorists who are green conscious will also look for and buy cleaner fuels and then avoid accelerating or braking too quickly, either of which immediately burns more gas. Driving at sensible rates of speed and keeping a safe distance between cars will also improve gas mileage and help keep the planet green.

In addition environmentally conscious drivers know not to drive too fast because not only is driving at high speeds dangerous, driving over 60 mph increases the fuel consumed as well as increasing the air pollution caused by the gas fumes. On the other hand slow driving can also affect fuel efficiency and decrease green driving. The most pollution caused by driving occurs when traveling at less than 15 mph or by being caught immovable in a traffic jam where the smart thing to do if stopped for a long time is to turn off the motor. A good way to avoid traffic jams is to plan ahead, combine trips and do all errands in one well planned run.

Better yet, leave the car at home and walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. This will not only save fuel and reduce mileage, it could also reduce the insurance on the car which the driver can verify with their insurance company and also get car insurance quotes online.