Protecting the planet one kilometre at a time

CAA & Tim Hortons team up

LONDON, ON, April 19 /CNW/ - For years, drivers have been packing up their cars and hitting the open road, but not before checking their wallets for their CAA card and making a stop at Tim Hortons. No road trip would be complete without them.

CAA has a long history of making our roads safer and Tim Hortons has a long history of making pit stops better. Starting today, eco-driving tips on how to protect the planet one kilometre at a time will appear on tray liners and video screens at Tim Hortons' coffee shops in London, Ontario.

"We have teamed up to help drivers understand the links between fuel consumption, good car maintenance and driving habits," said Amy Bryson, Board Member, CAA SCO.

"Protecting the environment is a priority for Tim Hortons. Whether through waste diversion, reducing litter and helping our customers learn ways to save money and reduce vehicle emissions by sharing driving tips at our London and areas stores," said Nick Javor, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Tim Hortons. "If everyone does a little we can do a lot to make our environment better."

    
    CAA's top five eco-driving tips:

    1.  Keep tires properly inflated and service your vehicle regularly.
    2.  Remove excess weight, such as roof racks when not in use, and items
        from your trunk.
    3.  Reduce highway speed; use cruise control. Fuel consumption starts to
        increase above 90km/hr.
    4.  Avoid jack rabbit starts and hard braking.
    5.  Combine your trips to save fuel and time; consider car pooling.
    

CAA SCO and Tim Hortons are also issuing a challenge to the Mayor of London and the media to put their eco-friendly driving skills to the test in the DriveWise simulator. The simulator has been made available through the support of Natural Resources Canada: ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles Program.

"This collaborative, action-oriented campaign encourages all London drivers to take five easy steps to reduce their carbon footprints," said Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best. "In doing so, each of us plays a part in ensuring a clean, healthy environment for today's children and future generations to come."

Visit www.caasco.com/autogreen for more eco-driving tips.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel, automotive care and roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and 5 million members in Canada.

For further information: Media Contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Specialist, 60 Commerce Valley Drive East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 7P9, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone]; Follow CAA on Twitter @caasco for regular updates on wait times and other news and information