Ad hoc networks are temporary networks without a permanent architecture. Such flexibility brings various advantages but also leads to security vulnerabilities. Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are a subset of adhoc networks, created to facilitate safe and efficient wireless communication between infrastructure and vehicles in dynamic traffic scenes. It plays a vital role in applications such as intelligent transportation systems, military convoys, and roadside support. These networks offer real-time data transmission through multi-hop routing among mobile nodes. Nevertheless, routing methods operate over security vulnerabilities, energy efficiency, and as a result quality of service (QoS) suffers. This paper introduces an Enhanced Secure Routing Protocol with a trust-aware energy optimization method based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for secure and cost-effective encryption. Experimental results with the proposed methodology reported lower delay (125.45 ms), higher packet delivery (84.97%). It also improved security and efficiency of communication by increasing throughput at several transmission speeds. These results revealed that the proposed method outperformed the conventional methods demonstrating the impact of new integrations in VANET routing protocols.