Driving through the streets of Amman during peak hours is a true test of patience for any motorist. Getting stuck on the Interior Ministry Circle (Dawar Al-Interior), crawling through Mecca Street and Medina El Monawarah Street, or navigating the city’s notoriously steep hills are all major culprits behind a rapidly draining fuel tank and skyrocketing monthly petrol bills.

Fortunately, saving fuel in the capital is not impossible. By adopting a few smart driving habits and tactical adjustments, you can significantly optimize your car’s fuel efficiency. Here is the ultimate guide to reducing fuel consumption in Amman’s traffic:

1. Adopt Anticipatory Driving: The First Key to Efficiency

The way you interact with bumper-to-bumper traffic dictates your fuel economy. To keep consumption low during gridlock, follow these practices:

• Avoid Tailgating: Always maintain a safe, generous distance between your vehicle and the one ahead. This buffer allows your car to smoothly roll forward at a constant, low speed rather than constantly alternating between aggressive braking and acceleration—the absolute number one cause of fuel waste.
• Scan the Road Ahead: Don’t just stare at the brake lights of the car directly in front of you; look 3 or 4 cars ahead. If you see traffic slowing down or a traffic light turning red up ahead, lift your foot off the accelerator immediately and let the car coast to a gentle stop.
• Utilize the Automatic Start-Stop System: If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, keep it activated. Idling for more than 20 seconds in heavy Amman bottlenecks wastes more fuel than it takes to restart the engine.

2. Master Amman’s Hilly Topography

Amman is famous for its steep mountains and sharp inclines (such as Al-Misdar Hill, Wadi Saqra, and the Sahafa Tunnel). Poor driving habits on these slopes will instantly double your fuel consumption:

• Build Momentum Before the Climb: Gradually and smoothly build up your speed before hitting a steep incline (while staying within legal speed limits). Use that natural momentum to carry the car up the hill, preventing you from having to slam on the gas pedal midway up.
• Maintain a Steady Foot in Gridlocks: When forced to climb a hill in stop-and-go traffic, maintain light, steady pressure on the accelerator. Resist the urge to aggressively accelerate just to close small gaps between vehicles.
• Use Downhills to Cut Fuel to Zero: When descending Amman's long slopes, switch your automatic transmission to manual mode (Tiptronic) and select a lower gear (2nd or 3rd) to utilize engine braking. In modern vehicles, this action triggers a fuel-cutoff mechanism, reducing fuel consumption to exactly $0\%$ while descending.

3. Intelligent Gear and Driving Mode Selection

Modern transmissions are highly sophisticated; you just need to know how to leverage them:

• Activate Eco Mode: Make it a habit to turn on your car's "Eco Mode" before entering heavy traffic. This setting softens throttle response and programs the transmission to upshift at lower engine revolutions ($RPM$).
• Avoid Sport Mode in Traffic: Sport mode forces the transmission to hold lower gears longer and maintains a high $RPM$—making it the ultimate enemy of fuel economy in a jam.
• Shift to Neutral ($N$) During Prolonged Stops: If you are stuck at a long traffic light (like the Safeway intersection) or a complete standstill exceeding one minute, shift the gear into Neutral ($N$) and engage the handbrake. Keeping the car in Drive ($D$) while pressing the brake forces the engine to constantly fight against the transmission, unnecessarily wasting fuel.

4. Manage the AC and Electrical Loads Effectively

• The AC in Gridlocks: When a car is idling or crawling, the engine operates at low efficiency. Running the air conditioning during these moments places a heavy load on the engine, increasing fuel usage by up to 20%. If the weather is mild, opt for the cabin fan; on hot summer days, set the AC to a moderate temperature (22–24°C) rather than maximum coldness.
• The AC vs. Windows Formula: Once the traffic clears and your speed exceeds 60 km/h, roll up all windows and turn on the AC. Driving at higher speeds with open windows creates massive aerodynamic drag, forcing the engine to burn more fuel to maintain speed.
• Minimize Electrical Strain: Avoid running unnecessary electrical features simultaneously during heavy traffic—such as heated seats, rear defrosters, or multiple fast phone chargers. This lightens the resistance the alternator places on the engine.

5. Strategic Route Planning

• Always Use Navigation Apps: Before turning the key, check apps like Google Maps or Waze. Quite often, taking a slightly longer route that is completely clear and free-flowing consumes far less fuel than taking a shorter route where you will sit idling for an hour.
• Avoid Unprotected Left Turns: When mapping out your commute, prioritize routes that favor right turns, bridges, or tunnels. Attempting to turn left across busy, un-signaled intersections in Amman requires long periods of idling followed by aggressive acceleration to catch a gap, which burns excessive fuel.

6. Vehicle Maintenance and Weight Management

• Clear Out the Trunk: Every extra kilogram means the engine has to work twice as hard to pull the vehicle up Amman’s mountains. Remove any unnecessary tools, clutter, or luggage from the trunk.
• Check Tire Pressure Regularly: Ensure your tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s exact recommended specification. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance against the asphalt, making the car feel heavy and increasing fuel consumption by up to 5%.
• Keep Up with Engine Maintenance: Worn-out spark plugs, clogged air filters, and using the wrong engine oil viscosity all degrade engine efficiency, forcing the car to burn extra fuel to compensate for the drop in power.

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Conclusion: Small Habits, Big Savings

Maximizing fuel efficiency in Amman is completely achievable. It comes down to a collection of small, disciplined habits—from how smoothly you apply pressure to the pedals to how smartly you map out your route. By implementing this comprehensive guide, you will protect your vehicle's engine and see an immediate, noticeable drop in your monthly fuel expenses.

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