Yes, driving with cruise control can help you save on gas

On average, AAA says 97% of summer trips are by car. If you’re on a long road trip, you may turn on cruise control to keep from feeling tired or uncomfortable during the drive. VERIFY viewer Tracy reached out from the road to ask if cruise control can also help you save money on gas.

THE QUESTION

Does cruise control help save money on gas?

THE SOURCES

• U.S. Department of Energy
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Progressive
• Fueleconomy.gov
• Kia

THE ANSWER

Yes, cruise control can help you save money on gas.

WHAT WE FOUND

Cruise control is designed to help people traveling long distances drive comfortably, but it can also help save gas money. According to Progressive, cruise control works by letting the driver “set a speed for your car to maintain even if you take your foot off the gas.” Your car will remain at a constant speed for the duration of time you have this setting on. With adaptive cruise control, sensors make sure your car maintains a safe distance behind a car.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that behaviors associated with driving at inconsistent speeds, like speeding and slamming on brakes, can “lower gas mileage in light-duty vehicles by about 10 to 40 percent in stop-and-go traffic and roughly 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds.” This means it's best to keep your car at a consistent speed if you want to save gas. 

The U.S. Department of Energy explains that “using cruise control on the highway can help drivers maintain a constant speed,” adding that “vehicles use the most energy when accelerating.” 

There are some safety limitations to keep in mind before using the cruise control feature. Progressive says, “Cruise control is best suited for long drives on large, straight roads with cars traveling at a relatively constant speed. It’s inappropriate in stop-and-go traffic, when weather conditions are bad, on narrow, curvy roads, or with frequent speed limit variations.”

While cruise control can help save on gas, it’s also important to drive at a reasonable speed. According to Fueleconomy.gov, which is a federal department of energy website, different vehicles reach their optimal fuel economy at different speed ranges but “gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph.”

If you are in a situation where you can’t safely use cruise control, but still wish to save on gas, Fuel Economy shares these additional tips:

• Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas.
• Avoid hauling cargo on your roof. Hauling cargo on your roof increases aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) and lowers fuel economy.
• Remove excess weight. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.
• Avoid excessive idling. Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner (AC) use.