Tips to Keep Cars Efficient, Durable and Safe On the Road

Driving properly or eco driving will provide many benefits. In addition to fuel consumption and driving safety, it can also reduce vehicle exhaust emissions.

Eco driving is a way of driving with the aim of optimizing fuel consumption to be more efficient and play a role in reducing the risk of accidents. Eco driving is considered able to save time and cost, safe, and environmentally friendly.

"In addition to fuel efficiency, eco driving techniques are also one of the efforts to extend the life of the vehicle because its performance is not forced," said Hariadi, Asst. to Service Dept. Head PT Suzuki Indomobil Sales.

According to Hariadi, there are three factors that affect eco driving techniques, namely the driver, the condition of the car, and the environment.

For fuel efficiency, there are several ways that drivers can do, such as time, route, and destination of travel.

Therefore, riders need to take into account the estimated time by paying attention to the route of the trip in order to avoid congestion.

"If it is stuck in traffic, the car will often do stop and go, a condition where the car must stop and run again in accordance with the traffic density resulting in wasteful fuel," he said.

But in calculating the estimated driving time, the driver must also provide more time in case of unforeseen events on the trip.

Another factor is how to drive. Hariadi suggests that drivers avoid aggressive driving as much as possible because it results in fuel wastage.

In driving with eco driving techniques, to achieve maximum rotation the driver must press the gas pedal slowly and immediately move to a higher acceleration gear position. The driver ideally keeps the engine rotation at 2,000 to 3,000 rpm.

If gear shifting exceeds that number the engine spin becomes too high and the fuel usage will be much more wasteful.

Take advantage of the acceleration momentum when encountering uphill terrain and use engine breaks when encountering downhill terrain. "High acceleration in driving will only lead to excessive fuel consumption," he said.

Conversely, when braking, the driver needs to take into account a braking distance of about 3 seconds by pressing the brake pedal smoothly and utilizing the engine break for braking.

In addition, use the ideal speed of the vehicle with a constant of about 60-70 kilometers per hour to produce fuel efficiency.

Choosing the right fuel is also part of the eco driving principle. Choose unleaded fuel. Unleaded fuel will minimize pollution from vehicle exhaust gases, making it more environmentally friendly.

Tyres are also part of an important factor that supports eco driving techniques. It is recommended to choose a low rolling resistance tire. Tyres with less wind pressure can slow down the rolling wheel, requiring power to the larger wheel shaft.

In addition to fuel and car tires, the use of air conditioning is also one of the factors of waste of fuel. Therefore, avoid using air conditioning with maximum temperature and use the ideal temperature of cabin space around 20-23 degrees Celsius.

Last is car maintenance. Taking care of the vehicle regularly will maintain the performance of the engine and its components, so that the condition is in good condition when used.

"The style and techniques applied have also been proven to reduce the risk of road accidents. Therefore, the application of eco driving techniques is recommended to be able to maximize the function of the vehicle and maintain the safety and comfort of the driver,? concluded.