This way you use as little petrol as possible in traffic jams and save money

Every driver hates traffic jams. Not only are you wasting your valuable time, but you are also wasting gasoline (which is at least as valuable these days). Fortunately, there are ways to drive efficiently and save fuel even in traffic jams.

The easiest way to save money in traffic is to keep your eyes on the road. People often turn to their smartphones out of boredom. This can be a costly mistake. Not only because you could face a fine for this (if you move), but also because the risk of a collision suddenly increases enormously. And then of course you are even further away from home.

Start-stop system in traffic jams

Another way to save money is to drive economically. Many modern cars are equipped with a start-stop system that automatically switches off the engine if you stand still for a moment. Some drivers find it annoying, but it can be an advantage in traffic jams, especially if you are standing for a long time and the engine does not have to idle unnecessarily. How to save fuel.

In a traffic jam where you are constantly standing still for a short period of time, the impact is smaller and the negative consequences are greater. The system causes additional wear on your crankshaft bearings, as repair specialists discovered in the trade magazine AMT in 2019.

Eco mode to save fuel

A simple way to drive economically in slow-moving traffic is to not drive too fast. Accelerating hard in a traffic jam makes little sense if you have to slow down every now and then. This is wasted energy.

If your car has an Eco mode, turn it on. Your vehicle then tries to keep its consumption under control by reacting less directly to the accelerator pedal or (if it is a hybrid) even driving completely electrically. The energy-guzzling air conditioning also works a little less efficiently.

Let off the gas, do not engage the clutch

With older cars (with manual transmissions) you have to do everything yourself in traffic jams. Turn off the air conditioning, accelerate gently and switch up in good time. If you value every drop of fuel, it is advisable to simply take your foot off the accelerator and leave the car in gear when decelerating.

At this moment the engine no longer injects fuel (at a certain speed) because the wheels keep the engine running. If you press the clutch immediately, as is the case with many, the injectors will activate to keep the engine idling.