Don't be idle

Very few driving sins are as wasteful as idling in your car. Seriously. You're getting zero mph when idling!

Need a rule of thumb? If you would have to idle for 10 seconds or longer, turn off your engine.

This means that going inside the bank or fast food restaurant instead of using the drive-thru is the far better choice. Yes, it's hot outside, and it's tempting to just sit in your car (with the AC on, no less!), I get it. But think of your children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren, and do the right thing.

What about idling to warm up your car in the winter? A myth! Your car warms up better through driving than idling. So get going!

Overall, it is important to keep your car's motor on as little as possible. Turn it off immediately when you pull into a parking space, before you unbuckle your seat belt or put up your sun visor. Same goes for when you start up your car; wait until you are ready to start rolling to turn that key!