Staying Calm in Traffic to Solve Gas Woes

The most overlooked tool in the fuel-efficient driver’s kit can only be found by looking inward. Drivers in Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago may not like to hear that their contributions to traffic problems are significant. Every driver during rush hour is capable of causing a traffic scare with a simple flick of the wrist or stomp on the gas peddle. Automotive experts like Edmunds have joined government agencies like the California Energy Commission to promote better driving behaviors as a way to save fuel.



Edmunds.com ran a series of tests that should send aggressive motorists back to driving school. The company’s researchers ran four tests including two tests where drivers were instructed to stop and start 15 times aggressively on a 55-mile track. The findings of these tests showed that drivers who lay off their brakes and gas pedals could cut their fuel use by 37 percent.

The message of safer and smarter driving has resonated from consumer websites to the national government and private industry. The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency use their pages on efficient driving to note potential fuel savings for motorists who can manage their rage. The Progressive Automotive X Prize has added a public education element to its campaign for fuel-efficient vehicles in an effort to promote responsible driving in the next generation of motorists.

The aforementioned drivers in major urban centers likely think that these campaigns are noble but misguided considering the lack of manners on America’s freeways. These drivers should create mental checklists that allow them to focus on their behaviors and prevent constant stopping and starting during daily commutes. Every motorist interested in saving money on gasoline needs to anticipate traffic patterns by listening to DOT radio frequencies posted on road signs, looking ahead and watching brake lights. These simple tools allow a driver to ease off the brake pedal and avoid gas wasted by jerky accelerations.

It is crucial that frustrated drivers achieve a calm state of mind before attempting to negotiate the uncertainties of rush-hour traffic. The standard advice of taking deep breaths, listening to soothing music and getting into a “happy” place are fine for some people. The silver bullet for driving better in heavy traffic is thinking about the potential consequences of road rage. A driver who thinks about accidents, uncomfortable showdowns with motorists and injuries can preserve his fuel and his sanity during traffic jams.

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