Increasing your fuel efficiency can be a great way to save money and help the environment, here are a few simple ideas which may help to minimise your fuel consumption.

Tyres The pressure of the tyres can have a great impact on the amount of fuel that your car uses as under-inflated tyres will increase the fuel used by your engine. Due to the increase in rolling resistance caused by under-inflated tyres, this creates a rolling resistance which increases the amount of work that needs to be done by your engine in order to keep the car moving. To avoid this, ensure you check your tyre pressure regularly and keep them inflated to the recommended pressure. Under-inflated tyres can increase the amount of wear, so it is definitely worthwhile ensuring that they remain at the correct pressure – don’t forget to keep an eye on your spare too. As well as this it is also important to check the tread, as worn tyres as well as being unsafe will also increase the amount of fuel needed by your car. There is a new type of ‘eco’ friendly tyre entering the market, they are designed specifically to create fuel savings and it is estimated that they can increase your fuel efficiency by up to 5%.

Load Lightening the load carried by your car can create big fuel savings so try and remove unnecessary items from the back seats or the boot before travelling. Roof racks should be removed when not in use as even empty roof racks can cause an increase in the amount of fuel consumed by the engine. The roof rack on top of the care causes friction due to the wind resistance.

Air-conditioning/Windows It has been estimated that even the best air-conditioning systems use up to 12% of the engines power increasing the fuel needed for the car to run with 1/8th of the cars total fuel being used to keep you cool. In much the same way, driving with the windows open can increase the amount of fuel needed and decreasing your fuel efficiency so try to use the air vents instead. Remember that other accessories too can decrease your fuel efficiency for example the demister and the radio so use accessories selectively to save fuel.

Driving Technique Recent research has shown that those with ‘advanced’ driving skills, usually those such as good observation which perhaps comes with experience are the drivers who use the least fuel. Simple things such as the way you accelerate, brake and use your gears can have an impact on the amount of fuel your engine consumes. When accelerating smooth and gentle acceleration uses less fuel than accelerating quickly. By thinking ahead and avoiding excessive and unnecessary braking can reduce the fuel consumption. Driving smoothly can also maximise the fuel efficiency. A great way to improve your driving technique is to take an advanced driving course which is estimated to decrease your fuel consumption by up to 30%.

Journey Planning Planning your journey well can be an easy way to reduce the amount of fuel used by your car. Try if possible to travel off-peak which should decrease your journey times and therefore decrease the amount of fuel used. When planning your route try to factor in the traffic, the shortest route may not necessarily be the quickest. Consolidate trips so that you don’t have to travel more than needed, reducing car journeys is of course an excellent way to save fuel. Satellite navigation systems can be a great way to keep up to date with all the latest driving information and help you avoid traffic jams and thus save fuel.