What is Freewheeling?
Freewheeling or Coasting is a bad driving practice involving the driver either driving with the clutch depressed or the gear stick in neutral, or both together. Coasting disengages the wheels from the engine and since the vehicle must be going downhill, it allows the vehicle to travel without consuming extra fuel. However, this practice is extremely risky in terms of vehicle safety.
Why is Freewheeling Bad?
There are several reasons why freewheeling is problematic, whether it is coasting downhill or freewheeling in any other situation:
- – Faster acceleration than normal
- – Less control because of the inability to regulate speed through engine braking as the engine isn’t linked to the wheels.
- – Difficulty in taking a safe, steady line around a corner, giving you less control if you cross the path of another road user or other hazard.
- – More time is required than normal in re-engaging gears to respond to a hazard
- – No significant fuel cost reduction
How Does TrackoBit Help?
TrackoBit can detect freewheeling through the diagnostic and OBD data collected through the software. Paired with a driver behaviour monitoring system, it becomes easy to detect which driver is freewheeling and how often they are doing it to prevent these practices in the future.