When driving on the road there are different types of surfaces you can drive on. Certain surfaces should be avoided as they can damage the car and reduce fuel consumption.

 

 

 

Anti-Skid - Anti Skid is normally found on bad corners/Motorways and Dual Carriageways. The idea of Anti Skid is to produce higher friction on the road to prevent your car skidding in bad conditions. Anti Skid is normally a different colour to the road surface. It used to be red but unfortunately motorists found out about it and drove over anti skid and higher speed than before. Anti-Skid now has to be laid in a various colour basis. The most common place to find Anti Skid is on the approach to Roundabouts. It generates more road noise and because it has more friction also uses more fuel. You should never avoid driving on Anti Skid as the purpose is to prevent accidents but however a lot of Anti Skid can sometimes inform the driver that they are driving on a dangerous road.

 

Asphalt - This is the most common type of road surface the average MPG on this type of road is Average. Due to Government cut backs more roads are being Surface Dressed (See Below) this replaces Asphalt and decreases MPG, However this is a cheaper form of road surface

 

Rural/Rough Roads - Driving on rural roads can increase fuel consumption by up to 30%. Drivers should avoid driving on rural roads as they are more likely to have an accident and come across large farming vehicles which can cause hazards. Sometimes these roads can't be avoided so extra care needs to be taken.

 

 

Surface Dressed - Everyday Surface Dressing Chippings become more common, This is the cheapest way to surface a road. The chances are you have come across this type of surfacing. The workers put down a coat to stick the stones to the road and apply excess chippings. Normally 20mph signs are put in place as the loose chippings dent your car and cause a skid risk. Try to avoid these as much as possible MPG is at its lowest on these roads as there is a lot of friction. Sweepers do sweep the excess chippings off weekly but there is also the risk of vehicle damage when driving on these roads.

 

Tarmac - In normal conditions (Average Temperature) these are the best roads to drive on for noise, Friction and MPG. However Tarmac is at risk of ice as any road but the driver has less chance of being able to see it. Black ice is normally accumulated on these types of road. In bad conditions driving on this type of road can be dangerous. In hot conditions Tarmac can become sticky and use tread on your tyres in excess. Handling is improved on Tarmac in hot conditions but friction always means low MPG.

 

 

As you can see from above the roads you drive on can play an important role in how much fuel you use. Sometimes these roads can't be avoided but economical driving can increase MPG.