MEDIA RELEASE: CAA’s top five ways to improve your fuel economy; plus, one thing you shouldn’t skip before hitting the road this summer

Jun 16, 2023

2 min

Nadia Matos



Summer is about a week away and many Ontarians are gearing up for cottage getaways and local road trips. But with inflation impacting gas prices and the overall cost of living, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) has compiled a list of the simple ways motorists can maximize their fuel economy.


“While Ontarians love getting out on the road and exploring with friends and family during the summer months, high gas prices have made motorists more mindful of their fuel economy,” says Nadia Matos, manager external communications, CAA SCO. “Luckily, the easiest and most effective way to improve the fuel economy of any car is to modify your driving habits.”


Motorists can maximize their fuel economy as they hit the road this summer by incorporating the following tips:

  1. Plan your route. Plan the most efficient route to your destination and avoid backtracking and unnecessary mileage.
  2. Remove unnecessary items from your vehicle. An extra 100 pounds can reduce fuel economy up to 1 percent. Try to also avoid the use of rooftop luggage carriers as items transported on top of the car significantly increase aerodynamic drag, which reduces fuel economy.
  3. Control your speed. Fuel consumption starts to increase when you hit 90km/h. For long stretches of road ahead, use cruise control to maintain your speed to save fuel.
  4. Drive conservatively. If you find yourself stuck in long weekend traffic, avoid "jack rabbit" starts, rapid acceleration and hard braking, which can lower fuel economy by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds and 10 to 40 percent in stop-and-go traffic.
  5. Keep up with regular car maintenance. Underinflated tires increase fuel consumption by up to four percent. With regular maintenance services you can help your vehicle run more efficiently.


Savings can also start while fueling up, as CAA members save 3 cents per litre when they load their membership card in the Shell app or use it at the pump.


While keeping fuel economy top of mind can help make your next road trip more affordable, you won’t be able to get much far with a dead battery.


“Ontario summers may be short, but they are mighty. A car battery can lose its charge 33 per cent faster in extreme heat compared to the frigid winter, draining the power necessary to start the car,” says Matos. “The one thing you shouldn’t skip when preparing your car for your next road trip is having your car battery tested by a professional to ensure it is in good condition.”


If you are a CAA member you can call CAA’s Mobile Battery Service at *222 and a trained CAA Battery Service Representative will come to you to test, replace and dispose of your old battery.


Connect with:
Nadia Matos

Nadia Matos

Manager, External Communications

Media spokesperson and subject matter expert on winter driving, road trips and travel.

Road TripsTravel and TourismWinter DrivingStrategic Communications

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from CAA Club Group

2 min

MEDIA RELEASE: Hamilton's Aberdeen Avenue named CAA’s Worst Road in Ontario for a second year in a row

Ontarians have spoken, and the results are in. For a second consecutive year, the 2025 CAA Worst Road in Ontario is Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton. Frustrations with potholes and poor road maintenance have kept this road in the number one spot. It first debuted on the top regional list for Hamilton in 2021 and moved onto the provincial list in 2023. In second and third place are Barton Street East in Hamilton and County Road 49 in Prince Edward County, two roads that have previously appeared on the CAA Worst Roads top 10 list six and seven times, respectively. Both roads are expected to receive significant upgrades and are in the planning stages. "Timely repairs, better communication, quick fixes, pothole funds, and using recycled aggregates are just some solutions to fix unsafe roads," says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations, CAA South Central Ontario. "CAA continues to urge all levels of government to prioritize road safety with stable funding to do so." This year, participants nominated over 2,400 different roads from 208 municipalities, up respectively from 2,000 roads from 145 municipalities in 2024 – a 20 per cent increase in roads nominated and a 42 per cent increase in the number of municipalities with roads nominated. Municipalities are responsible for approximately 140,000 kilometres of roads across the province. "For over two decades, the CAA Worst Roads campaign has given Ontarians a voice to spotlight unsafe roads in their communities and push for much-needed repairs,” says Di Felice. "This list provides a powerful snapshot to governments on where to prioritize budgets and move up road repairs, and we know that the public supports these efforts." CAA research shows that 26 per cent of survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with road work projects, stating that they take multiple seasons to complete. However, 85 per cent are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction in exchange for long-term improvements. Ontarians shared their primary reasons for selecting a road, with 84 per cent citing potholes, followed by poor road maintenance (77 per cent) and traffic congestion (15 per cent). Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2025 1. Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton 2. Barton Street East, Hamilton 3. County Road 49, Prince Edward County 4. Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto 5. Hurontario Street, Mississauga 6. Leveque Road, South Frontenac 7. Highway 50, Caledon 8. Sider Road, Fort Erie 9. Gardiner Expressway, Toronto 10. Sheppard Avenue West, Toronto Worst Roads by Region Toronto – Eglinton Avenue West Hamilton – Aberdeen Avenue Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga Central—7th Line, Innisfil Eastern— County Road 49, Prince Edward County Niagara— Sider Road, Fort Erie North— Panache Lake Road, Greater Sudbury Southwest— Banwell Road, Windsor Western— Dundas Street, London Ottawa— Carling Avenue For the complete list of the 2025 Worst Roads, please visit www.caasco.com/worstroads The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) has verified Ontario's top 10 list. CAA is proud to have RCCAO as a technical partner in the CAA Worst Roads advocacy campaign.

2 min

MEDIA RELEASE: Provincial Trunk Highway 34 Named the Worst Road in Manitoba

Manitobans have spoken – and the results are in. The 2025 CAA Worst Road is Provincial Trunk Highway 34 (PTH 34) in Central Plains/Pembina Valley, Manitoba. Frustrations with potholes, poor road maintenance, poor road signage and unpaved roads pushed PTH 34 to the number one spot. This marks this road’s sixth appearance on the CAA Worst Roads Top 10 list; however, this is the first time it has taken the top spot. This year also marks a historic first for the CAA Worst Roads campaign – for the first time in its 14-year history, nine out of ten roads on the top 10 list are from rural Manitoba communities. Saskatchewan Avenue, the only Winnipeg road on the list in 2025, has appeared on the CAA Worst Roads list for the last seven consecutive years. "The CAA Worst Roads campaign provides a powerful snapshot to governments on where to prioritize budgets and move up road repairs by giving Manitobans an opportunity to have their say on the difficulties they are experiencing in getting around," says Ewald Friesen, manager of government and community relations for CAA Manitoba, "We saw the proof of this when last year's winner, 18th Street in Brandon, received a swift and coordinated response from governments on the same day the results were released, with shovels in the ground by Fall.” This year’s campaign saw an almost 50 per cent increase in roads nominated, with 723 different roads across 86 municipalities. CAA research shows that 39 per cent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with road work projects, stating that the roads don’t last long before they must be repaired again. However, 88 per cent are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction in exchange for long-term improvements. "Manitobans take to this campaign because they are hopeful for change,” says Friesen. “CAA’s annual campaign plays a critical role in highlighting the roads that need urgent attention, providing governments with a better understanding of where Manitobans want these investments made." Half of the roads on the top 10 list are new this year. These include Provincial Road 234 in Interlake, Provincial Road 349 in Westman, Provincial Road 239 in Interlake, 26th Street in Brandon, and Provincial Trunk Highway 12 in Eastman. Manitoba's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2025 1. Provincial Trunk Highway 34, Central Plains/Pembina Valley 2. Provincial Road 234, Interlake 3. Provincial Road 307, Whiteshell 4. Provincial Road 239, Interlake 5. Provincial Road 349, Westman 6. 26th Street, Brandon 7. Provincial Trunk Highway 12, Eastman 8. Provincial Trunk Highway 26, Central Plains 9. Richmond Avenue, Brandon 10. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg "CAA Manitoba urges all levels of government to prioritize road safety through predictable, year-over-year investment and timely repairs," adds Friesen. “CAA Manitoba will continue to advocate for Manitobans to drive positive change in communities across the province." For more information and historical results, please visit: https://www.caamanitoba.com/advocacy/government-relations/worst-roads

3 min

MEDIA RELEASE: CAA Manitoba partners with the RCMP and the Government of Manitoba to remind drivers to slow down and move over on the road

Today, on CAA’s National Slow Down, Move Over Day, the Government of Manitoba, the RCMP and CAA representatives came together at the Manitoba Legislature to remind motorists about the importance of Manitoba’s Slow Down, Move Over law (SDMO), a life-saving law designed to protect emergency responders and roadside workers. “We are pleased that the Manitoba government has proclaimed May 13th as Slow Down Move Over Day to help bring awareness to the laws designed to protect emergency responders, tow operators, and highway workers who are stopped on the side of the road to save lives on Manitoba roadways,” said Ewald Friesen, manager of government relations for CAA Manitoba. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Lisa Naylor stated, “Every day, workers risk their lives to keep our roads safe and we are asking Manitoba drivers to take one simple, life-saving action: slow down and move over.” The timing is especially important as Canada Road Safety Week begins on May 13, shining a broader spotlight on making Canadian roads safer for all. CAA has been the leading advocate in Canada to ensure that 'Slow Down, Move Over' laws include tow trucks, along with police, ambulance and fire. "Most drivers tend to slow down and move over for police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks, but this is lower for tow trucks. It's important to always remember that for many, the side of the road is someone's workplace, and everyone deserves a safe place to work. Slow Down, Move Over laws protect our roadside rescuers, and the stranded drivers we serve every day,” reinforced Friesen. CAA’s research shows that Manitobans care deeply about the safety of emergency vehicles, drivers and stranded motorists. Data also shows that 8 in ten CAA Members have heard of the Slow Down, Move Over law, and 99 per cent support it. Just over half, however, know the definition of the law, underscoring that there is still important work to do to help drivers understand exactly what the law requires a driver to do. Over 1/3 of members are not aware of specific penalties, though they do know a penalty exists and 4 in ten Manitobans aged 65 and above are unaware of any penalties. Sergeant Mark Hume, Unit Commander, North West Traffic Services, Manitoba RCMP highlighted, “Violators can be charged under Section 109.1(2) of the Highway Traffic Act ($298 fine) at a minimum. Aggravated circumstances can result in more severe charges.” The consequences of neglecting these laws can be tragic, not only for roadside workers but also for drivers and passengers. The hope is that this initiative will help remind drivers of the importance of safe driving behaviours and encourage everyone to do their part to keep Manitoba’s roads and highways safe. “Through education and awareness of ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ laws, we wish to support drivers in their crucial role in preventing incidents and fostering a culture of care and safety on Manitoba's highways,” continued Friesen. If you see an emergency vehicle or tow operator up ahead, reduce your speed and move to an open lane if it is safe to do so. If the posted speed limit is less than 80 km/h you are required to slow down to 40 km/h. If the posted speed limit is 80 km/h or higher you are required to slow down to 60 km/h. For more information about the Slow Down, Move Over law, visit: https://www.caamanitoba.com/advocacy/government-relations/slow-down The online survey was conducted by via an online quantitative survey with 916 CAA Members in Manitoba between February 3 and February 11, 2025. Based on the sample size of n=916 and with a confidence level of 95%, the margin of error for this research is +/- 3.24%.) 

View all posts