In many cases, safe driving for your car’s health is also ideal for your own health because it’s safer. Read the advice from our expert auto repair specialists below.

Don’t Start Too Slowly

This one is primarily about fuel economy, but it may also be a matter of personal safety – it’s not a good idea to start driving so slowly that you risk theanger of your fellow road warriors. Some new drivers have been taught not to push the pedal to the metal, and generally true. But accelerating too slowly prevents your car from reaching optimal speed and can put wear on the transmission and engine. Drive at expected speeds.

Keep the Tank Half Full

Know about a couple of ways that emptying your truck or car of fuel or keeping the level low is a bad idea. Sediment in fuel drops to the bottom of your fuel tank, so when it’s almost empty your fuel pump has to send that grit through the fuel lines. This might cause a clog and will also cause your engine to work extra hard. Furthermore, gas in the tank helps cool the part that pumps fuel, making it more efficient. If you don’t have sufficient fuel in the tank, your fuel pump could overheat and wear out more quickly.

Don’t Idle or Rev

We have talked about engine idling already, and the truth is that you should avoid idling for more than about sixty seconds. It’s also unwise to rev your engine, especially if the engine isn’t warm. When you do, the engine will not become lubricated safely and the catalytic convertor won’t start working. Going straight from cold to hot isn’t good anyway.

Don’t Drive Aggressively

Don’t drive like you’re in an action movie. One of the most obvious reasons not to drive too fast, of course, is that this behavior is unsafe. But beyond that, peeling out at stoplights and slamming on the brakes is difficult on your transmission, engine and brakes. It’s easy to understand why you want to show off a fast auto, but realize that you shouldn’t abuse it.

Don’t Shift Improperly

Shifting is a big deal. We’ll just go over some of the ways. First, don’t ever change directions or park while your car is moving. Also, don’t move the gears into park and leave the car without also putting on the parking brake. If you do, the whole vehicle’s weight will be resting against the transmission instead of the brake. For manual transmission vehicles, be careful to remove your foot from the clutch between shifting. These little habits could save you many hundreds of dollars.

Don’t Push the Speed Limit

It can be a thrill to race down the interstate, passing all the slowpokes and proving your handling prowess as you weave through the lanes and around the curves. However, driving this way can wreck the engine, and the car. Our auto experts at Christian Brothers Automotive in Carrollton, TX say that most autos perform ideally at 40-60 mph. If you drive faster than that, you will need more fuel per mile driven and your transmission will wear out. Also, when you go so fast it means extra stress on all the small moving parts of your engine, and that can cause it to wear out more quickly. In the end, driving safely is the perfect way to display your pride.

Come in for a Checkup

In addition to driving wisely, keep your ride clean top to bottom. You should also be sure to check the lights, oil and tires often. And at regular intervals, bring your ride in to your Carrollton Christian Brothers Automotive garage for a pro checkup.