How aware are you?
Use this questionnaire to test your awareness of the steps you can take to save money, get fitter and help reduce air pollution. Look through the questions about your travel habits and then check the answers to collect a helpful list of 13 tips.
After this you can amend the way you operate. If it is beneficial then switch from “never” to “sometimes”. If “sometimes” see if you can switch to “always”, or vice versa according to the answer. The closer you get to the perfect solution the more you will benefit.
1. Do you drive to and from work during the “rush hour?”
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
2. Do you operate a car pool, cycle, walk or use public transport for school/work?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
3. Do you ever work from home?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
4. When going on holiday do you pack as much as possible into your vehicle?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
5. When you are driving do you try to avoid congested traffic areas?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
6. When you are in your car waiting for someone do you keep the engine running while you are waiting?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
7. When running around completing errands do you plan to complete them all in one trip?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
8. On warm days do you always use the car’s air conditioning?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
9. When filling your car at the petrol station do you fill the tank right to the top?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
10. Do you always twist the cap on tightly after putting fuel in the tank?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
11. In the summer, do you fill up your tank in the heat of the day?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
12. Do you have your car serviced regularly?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
13. Do you check your car’s tyre air pressure regularly?
- Always
- Sometimes
- Never.
Answers
1. Avoiding the “rush hour” saves you time, money and reduces pollution.
2. Using any of these methods of travel will also save you time, money and reduce pollution.
3. Working from home is simply not practical for some people. But where you can, even occasionally, it brings the benefits listed in the previous two answers.
4. The heavier the load the more fuel you use. Lighten up.
5. Traffic jams slow you down, increase fuel use and air pollution. Try to listen to radio alerts about road congestion.
6. Do not keep the engine running for more than three minutes if you have stopped. Turn it off, even if it’s just for a moment.
7. Making one trip is much more fuel efficient than making two or three to catch up on your errands.
8. Using air conditioning increase fuel consumption. Use only when necessary.
9. Do not fill right to the top. It releases petrol fumes into the air and cancels the benefits of the pump’s anti-pollution devices.
10. Always replace the cap tightly to avoid fuel and vapour loss.
11. If you can, refuel when it’s cool. Petrol fumes heat up in hot weather and create ozone.
12. Regular servicing reduces fuel use.
13. Maintaining tyres at the correct pressure will also reduce fuel use.
