Learn to eco drive...

It’s tough to drive anywhere in London at more than 15 miles per hour unless you ride a motorbike. Public transport is probably youyr best bet.

But for anyone who does get around town in four wheels and is drivers looking to improve their fuel consumption, you can now go on a course to learn to…wait for it…eco drive.

Greenbang is curious about what you can learn on this course other than use less gas, remove excess weight and drag from the car, keep the windows up and the ancileries off etc.

Get this though:

    The European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) calculated in 2001 that within Europe, driver education and eco driving programmes could lead to a reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to that of 15 million cars by the year 2010. Despite this level of success with our EU counterparts, the UK has been slow to follow. Although pilot schemes have been developed by the Driving Standards Agency here in the UK it is not something average motorist is that aware of.

All in all it’s quite interesting. Learn more about the course here:

“At last there is good news for motorists wanting to reduce their carbon footprint without investing in a new car or finding alternative modes of transport. Trent Safety People, based in the Midlands has launched a brand new ‘Eco Driving’ course to teach car owners and fleet drivers the practical side of reducing fuel consumption (thus saving money at the pump) and CO2 emissions as well as reducing noise levels and improving driver safety.

    The course, which lasts between one and a half and two hours, has been devised by Michael Pattinson based on schemes running on the continent.    “Everyone has their own driving style and this course shows how Eco Driving can be undertaken in the everyday situations motorists face,” says Michael. “We use a mixture of demonstration and driver practise to show how drivers can get the best out of their engines in their normal driving situations with the least impact on the environment. The principals are very easy to learn and will stay with you for life.”

In addition to more information about the course, their website, www.how2ecodrive.com also gives tips and advice that everyone can use to help minimise the impact their car journeys have on the planet’s global warming.

Eco driving has been used on the continent for a number of years and in many countries is now included in their learner driving programs.

Despite the developments made in producing fuel efficient engines and cars that have lower emissions, very few drivers know how to get the best out of their engines. The Eco Driving idea is to adopt a driving style that suits today’s modern engine technology and ‘smart, smooth and safe’ driving techniques can yield fuel savings in the region of 10%, with additional benefits of lower CO2 emissions and reduced noise levels.

Many people find driving on today’s roads to be a stressful and aggressive experience as they battle with more vehicles than ever before. Adopting a more anticipatory style of driving leads to reduced speeds, less overtaking and a less stress full drive, which leaves the driver feeling less tired.

The course will enhance the driver’s safety and awareness on the road, with the techniques covering vehicle balance, safe positioning, gear change reduction and how to save fuel. Demonstration and driver practise occur throughout the session to maximise the learning experience.