Motorists who think the only way around high gasoline prices is hopping on public transportation or switching to a hybrid vehicle should think again.

Better driving habits and regular vehicle maintenance can help any motorist save money by using less gasoline.

According to the Car Care Council, simply replacing a clogged, dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

A new Care Guide tells motorists what to do in plain, non-technical language to maintain their vehicle for safety, dependability and value. The free guide, published by the Car Care Council, can be ordered on the council's Web site at www.carcare.org.

The guide, which can be easily stored in a vehicle's glove box, explains the most common preventative maintenance procedures and repairs that need to be performed to help save fuel and keep cars operating safely and reliably, while maintaining their long-term value.

It also includes a list of questions to ask when these maintenance or repair procedures are being done on a car.

To further familiarize motorists with their vehicles, the guide has clear, concise descriptions of 12 major vehicle systems and parts.

Examples include steering and suspension, fuel and air intake, belts and hoses, and more.

A Car Care Checklist is included to remind busy families which vehicle systems need to be maintained and when service or repair should be performed.

The Council notes that motorists who fail to pay attention to the basics such as driving with under-inflated tires, a dirty air filter, or a gas cap that's damaged, loose or missing waste millions of gallons of gasoline every year.

Even the way we behave behind the wheel impacts mileage. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets, and sitting with the engine idling while waiting for friends or family gets zero miles per gallon.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer-education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers.

For more information, visit www.carcare.org.

The Free Car Care Guide is also available at www.carcare.org.