Trying to save money on gas? Don’t neglect your safety

It’s common knowledge – gas prices are out of control.  The exorbitant cost of fuel these days is causing some serious issues for families on a tight budget, causing them to reevaluate their expenses and habits.  Many individuals have targeted their vehicle as one source of savings.

Downsizing to a smaller vehicle is one way that some people have tried to save money.  In particular, pickup trucks are popular vehicles in this area, however large pickups consume a great deal of gas.  One option for some drivers is simply to downsize to a smaller truck.  After all, there are quite a few appealing models on the market – all of which get much better mileage than their larger cousins.

However, if you’re going to downsize don’t forget to check into your new vehicle’s safety ratings before you buy.  Recent side-impact crash testing by the IIHS found revealed that several popular small pickup truck models won’t hold up well in a crash.  It is one thing to downsize to save money, but nobody wants to compromise on safety.

Another popular way of cutting fuel costs doesn’t require a down payment – it’s the hypermiling trend.  There are several ways that every driver can reduce their current car or truck’s fuel consumption simply by adjusting their daily driving habits.  However, don’t fall prey to using some of the dangerous and ineffective hypermiling techniques. 

Read more about small pickup truck safety ratings and the hidden dangers of hypermiling and which techniques actually work in our our law library articles, “Saving Money with a Small Truck? Consider Safety Ratings” and “Hidden Dangers of the Hypermiling Craze”.