Don’t Make These Mistakes This Season
A couple winters ago, we wrote a blog titled “7 Winter Driving Myths” and since we’re quickly approaching summertime, we thought we’d list some summer driving myths. Share these with your fleet drivers to help keep them safe and efficient.
Summer gas is the same as winter gas
While many believe that gasoline is the same all year round, it’s actually formulated differently during the summer months and the winter months. During the summer, gas is more expensive because it’s in higher demand and it burns cleaner than gas distributed in the winter.
Air conditioning uses more fuel
For years, there has been ongoing debate between air conditioning and windows: many drivers believe that using air conditioning while driving uses more fuel than if you were to roll down the windows. The truth is, this is usually true at slower speeds. However, at higher speeds, open windows can increase aerodynamic drag and cause you to use more fuel to get to your destination. So final verdict: use open windows at slower speeds and air conditioning at higher speeds.
Don’t drive barefoot: it’s illegal
If you’ve ever heard that driving in flip flops or driving barefoot is illegal, that’s a myth. In fact, driving barefoot is legal in all 50 states and can actually help you drive better – you’ll be able to feel the pedals and their give and take more.
Don’t sit in your car during a storm
Summer is full of thunderstorms and we all know that metal attracts lightning, so it’s a common myth that sitting in your car during a thunderstorm can increase your chance of being struck by lightning. While the metal of the car does conduct electricity, your car probably won’t be the tallest piece of metal around, so it’s unlikely it’ll be struck by lightning.
You can’t help an overheating engine
While it’s true, there’s not much you can do for an overheating engine, one thing you can do is turn up the heat inside your car. By putting your heat on full blast, you can remove some of the heat from under the hood and cool down the temperature of the coolant.
Change your oil every 3,000 miles
You’ve probably heard the myth that you should change your car’s oil every 3,000 miles but the truth is, you really don’t need to change it until around 5,000 miles (or if it looks like it’s getting dark and dirty quickly).
