Fuel Economy Tip - Tailgating Doesn't Help
Today's tip won't help you save much gas, but will help you stay out of costly fender benders which, if you ask me, is just as good.
While the theory is sound, I'll give a couple of reasons why tailgating probably isn't the best way to go about increasing your car's fuel economy.
In going back to the Nascar comment, "drafting" really isn't relevant to us normal drivers. In Nascar, or other forms of motor racing, cars are driving inches, if not millimeters, from each other, and that's how they're able to benefit from drafting. Even the most aggressive drivers don't tailgate that closely on the street.
Also, at some Nascar tracks, the cars are traveling at over 200 mph, so the cars have to use a lot of energy to be able to cut through the air. That's why drafting is so important; by being on the bumper of the car ahead of you, your car doesn't have to use as much energy to go as fast. While driving 60 mph on the street may sound fast, you don't use nearly as much energy to get up to and maintain speed so drafting / tailgating isn't as beneficial or necessary.
Finally, tailgating will exponentially increase your risk for an accident. By driving closely to the car in front of you, you are decreasing the amount of time you have to react in case you have to stop or swerve. Go ahead and stay at least two seconds behind the car in front of you so you can have enough time and distance to properly react.
While tailgating may be a great idea when you're driving 200 mph on an oval, it probably isn't the best way to save gas when you're driving through the neighborhood.
Tailgating doesn't help your fuel economy, so go ahead and stick to the two second rule.
A couple of people have emailed me and asked whether or not tailgating is a good way to help save gas. One person even asked if "drafting, like what they do in Nascar" could increase your car's gas mileage by a sizeable amount.While the theory is sound, I'll give a couple of reasons why tailgating probably isn't the best way to go about increasing your car's fuel economy.
In going back to the Nascar comment, "drafting" really isn't relevant to us normal drivers. In Nascar, or other forms of motor racing, cars are driving inches, if not millimeters, from each other, and that's how they're able to benefit from drafting. Even the most aggressive drivers don't tailgate that closely on the street.
Also, at some Nascar tracks, the cars are traveling at over 200 mph, so the cars have to use a lot of energy to be able to cut through the air. That's why drafting is so important; by being on the bumper of the car ahead of you, your car doesn't have to use as much energy to go as fast. While driving 60 mph on the street may sound fast, you don't use nearly as much energy to get up to and maintain speed so drafting / tailgating isn't as beneficial or necessary.
Finally, tailgating will exponentially increase your risk for an accident. By driving closely to the car in front of you, you are decreasing the amount of time you have to react in case you have to stop or swerve. Go ahead and stay at least two seconds behind the car in front of you so you can have enough time and distance to properly react.
While tailgating may be a great idea when you're driving 200 mph on an oval, it probably isn't the best way to save gas when you're driving through the neighborhood.
posted by Brian Carr at 6:49 PM
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