The warm weather is here and we’re into the best time of the year for a good old road trip. However, it’s good to note that your service and driving habits can make a difference in how your car performs, your mileage, and your environmental impact.

So let’s quickly review a few key tips that are worth remembering before you pack the car and hit the highway:

1. Washing your car at home with the hose uses almost twice as much water as the automatic car wash. The other drawback is that you can’t capture and treat all the soapy and dirty residue streaming down your driveway - car washes can.

2. Following your vehicle’s maintenance schedule, checking and replacing the oil, and regularly changing the air filter and spark plugs means great efficiency savings and lower emissions.

3. Keep your tires at the proper pressure as rolling resistance is a key factor is affecting the fuel efficiency of your car or truck. And keeping your tires properly inflated also will lengthen their lifespan.

4. Slow down. And calm down too. Aggressive driving increases fuel consumption by up to 40% and emissions by up to 500%.

Keep these in mind - they can help your wallet and the earth. Happy driving.