The headlines say it all: “Senate bill would double Illinois state gas tax” and “Proposal (from Illinois Senate) bill would double Illinois state gas tax.” These are ominous indications of what you may be paying at the pump in McHenry in the near future. And there isn’t much you can do about it. Well … there is one thing you can do.

The more you pay at the pump the more imperative it is that your car operates efficiently – that it gets the most possible mpg. You may have to pay more for gasoline but it won’t hurt as bad if you don’t use as much gas.

Of course, you can commit yourself to driving less. But there are places in and around McHenry you want to go and people you want to see. There are things you want to do. With the arrival of Spring, getting out to go places, see people and do things is a better idea than ever. This, therefore, brings us back to the idea of improving gas mileage.

One way to improve your vehicle’s is to adjust the way you drive. A good place to start is to leave your lead foot at home. Don’t trounce on the gas pedal when you pull away from a stop. Also, when you see you’ll have to stop for a red light ahead, ease off the gas. You may find that you don’t have to stop at all by approaching a McHenry red light with caution.

Fuel efficiency starts with proper maintenance

Take care of your vehicle and it will take care of you and this translates to mpg, too. Under-inflated tires are not as fuel efficient as properly inflated tires. An engine that isn’t running at its peak performance is burning extra dollars in gasoline every mile you drive. A vehicle that needs an alignment is fighting against itself as it goes down the road. Timely oil changes will also help keep your vehicle operating at its best longer.

This is where to put your foot down. You don’t have to stand for it. Ensure that your vehicle is at peak performance and you’ll spend less than you would have at the pump.

There isn’t much you can do about the gasoline tax increase they’re liable to pass in Springfield. But, here in McHenry, you do have options that will ease the pain by increasing your mpg.