Banishing bad habits

Angela Pisanu takes part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Smarter Driving programme and learns that simple changes to her driving technique make her a more fuel efficient driver

"When going up a hill, accelerate gently. Think of it as riding a bicycle – it takes you more energy to go uphill and it’s the same for a car.” This simple analogy was given to me by my trainer during my Smarter Driving session and helped me to instantly understand the concept of fuel efficient driving.
    
It was this simplicity that I liked about the training. It wasn’t technical or something that you would have to go home and revise – just simple, practical tips for driving more fuel efficiently.

I was taking part in the Energy Saving Trust’s Smarter Driving programme which teaches business drivers practical techniques that can save a considerable amount of fuel, money and carbon emissions. The trainers are provided by DriveSense and are accredited by the Energy Saving Trust.
    
The practical sessions would normally start and finish at a company’s own premises, but as I was given a special ‘press preview’, my training took place on the roads of Bracknell, starting and leaving from the BMW head office.
    
I drove a BMW 116d 3 Door M Sport Hatch which at 64.2 mpg (combined) and 118g CO2/km, was the ideal car in which to practice green driving. Being a model with EfficientDynamics, the car also had a range of eco features, such as Auto Start-Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration and Optimum Shift Indicators.

What the training involves
The session starts with you driving as you would normally, on a pre-decided route. At the end, the trainer takes your average speed and fuel consumption figures and then talks through what improvements you could make in order to drive more fuel efficiently. You then do a practice session, using the trainer’s tips, with more feedback at the end. The third and final time you do the route, your fuel consumption is measured and compared against your initial results, in order to gauge whether putting these tips into practice has made your driving more fuel efficient. The whole course takes just under an hour.
    
During the session, a lot of emphasis was put on looking ahead to anticipate road conditions so you drive smoothly and avoid sharp acceleration and heavy braking. The ideal aim is the keep the car moving as much as possible, as starting the car from a standstill takes more energy than when it is already in motion.
    
Other tips included changing up gear before 2,000 revs and sticking to the speed limit – not only is this safer and compliant but it also reduces fuel consumption. When slowing down or driving downhill, I was advised it’s more fuel efficient to remain in gear but to take your foot off the accelerator early.
    
I was also advised of other measures that can help improve fuel efficiency before you even set off on your journey. This included removing accessories such as roof racks and bike carriers when not needed, as they affect the car’s aerodynamics and weight. In addition I was explained the importance of checking tyre pressure, as under-inflated tyres are dangerous and increase fuel consumption.

Improving fuel efficiency
After the training I had improved from 44mpg to 45mpg, which is a two per cent reduction in fuel consumption. Helpfully, you’re also told how this translates into fuel cost and CO2 savings in your own car. So for me travelling in a Fiat Punto and doing 5,000 miles a year, I would save £16 in fuel and 33kg of CO2 a year.
    
The results obviously differ for each person and can also be affected by the conditions on the road. The average of the day was a reduction in fuel consumption of 18 per cent, with one person improving from 30mpg to 48mpg – an improvement of 60 per cent. So the training does work and could lead to substantial cost savings for businesses. And it goes without saying that greener drivers also make safer drivers, which is another benefit for businesses and individuals alike.

Practice makes perfect
Changing the bad driving habits that you’ve acquired over the years is not a simple task; you do have to concentrate to make the changes. And you won’t be ‘cured’ after the session. But the training does stay with you and definitely makes you a more conscientious driver when back in your own car. For me, driving fuel efficiently has now become second nature.
    
With such a heavy drive to reduce the carbon output of a company’s fleet, driver training is a definite good starting point. If car manufacturers are making such excellent progress in reducing the CO2 output of their cars, then it’s only fair that the users themselves drive in the greenest way possible.
    
And now, thanks to extra DfT funding, the cost of the session is £15 per person (down from £25) until March, for organisations in England. So it’s definitely well worth investing in the programme sooner rather than later.