10 Tips on how to drive more efficiently

1 Drive smoothly

If you drive aggressively, you can burn up to a third more fuel than if you drive smoothly. Avoid accelerating or braking too hard and try to keep your steering as even as possible.

2 Use higher gears

When you drive in higher gear, you’ll use less fuel, so change up a gear whenever you can.

3 Keep the windows closed

Wind blowing through an open window can slow you down. And, to compensate, you’re likely to speed up. Instead of opening windows why not use your car’s internal ventilation system, just so long as this doesn’t make you feel drowsy.

4 Use cruise control

Using cruise control on major roads can help you maintain a constant speed and helps you make all those drops count.

5 Avoid excess idling

Stuck in a jam? Idling gets you nowhere, but still use up fuel. Turn the engine off when you’re in a queue until you need it. As a rule, if you’ve stopped for over 10 seconds, switch off your engine.

6 Avoid over-revving

Change gear in good time when you pull away or when you’re accelerating. Never ‘redline’ the rev counter.

7 Avoid high speeds

The faster you go, the more wind resistance you’ll encounter and the more fuel your vehicle will consume just to maintain speed. Remember that according to the UK Department of Transport figures, at 70mph you could be using up to 30 per cent more fuel than at 50mph. So keep it slow.

8 Use air-conditioning sparingly

Sometimes it’s hard to avoid using your air-conditioning, but remember that it does put added strain on your engine on hot or cold days. And, it can increase your fuel consumption by up to 8%. On temperate days, you can always use your car’s internal ventilation system instead.

9 Avoid rush hour

If you can travel outside of peak times, you’ll spend less time stuck in traffic and use less fuel as a result.

10 Keep a constant speed

Instead of coasting when you reach a downward slope, maintain steady engine revs. This will help you to maintain a constant speed rather than picking up speed and is likely to have a positive effect on your fuel consumption.