Hypermiling Makes for Unsafe Driving

OK, so remember when we told you about hypermiling in our Gas-Saving Moment of the Day? In that post, we warned of hypermiling’s less-than-stellar record when it comes to safety. Well, now AAA has weighed in as well.

The association released a strong warning against gas-saving practices that can endanger lives due to poor — and sometimes illegal — driving techniques. They’re talking about practices such as drafting off other vehicles on the highway by tailgating, as well as rolling stops and turning off the ignition entirely while driving. (Do people actually do this? If so, let us know in the comments.)

Other practices straddle the line of acceptability. For instance, drivers with manual transmissions often coast in neutral to save fuel. The practice is not uncommon, but safety advocates worry about drivers not having full control of their vehicles. More controversial is using neutral with an automatic transmission, although some hypermilers claim they can use this practice safely. AAA also doesn’t mention that there are various local laws against improper driving, like not having a car in gear.

Let us know what you think of hypermiling’s more extreme gas-saving practices. Do you use any of these techniques? Should specific laws be enacted to restrict dangerous gas-saving practices?

AAA Cautions Against Hypermiling (TechnoRide)