Fuel-efficient driving

With the cost of fuel rising in recent times, it’s more important than ever to get the most out of your tank. Adopting fuel-efficient driving habits delivers significant financial, safety and environmental benefits.

As well as tracking down the cheapest fuel in your area to save money, the way you drive and look after your car can make a significant difference to how many miles it achieves before topping up again.

Even the type of car you drive will affect fuel consumption. The technology in modern automatics means they will often give you more miles to the gallon than a manual car. For an even greater fuel economy, consider a hybrid vehicle, which uses a battery-powered electric motor alongside petrol or diesel. A fully electric car meanwhile will allow you to wave goodbye to the petrol pump altogether.

Fuel-efficient driving habits

If you’re not ready to switch to an electric car just yet, you might want to adopt some fuel-efficient driving habits. Driving as smoothly as possible is key to saving fuel, according to the Energy Saving Trust. By keeping an eye on traffic conditions and leaving plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front, you can avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, both of which increase fuel consumption.

Driving at high speeds is a no-no too. It might get you somewhere faster but you will pay the price in fuel. It’s also worth getting smart on your gear changes and shifting up the gears early, as high revs equal high fuel bills. And think about switching off the engine if you’re at a standstill for more than a minute. Newer cars do it automatically, so make like you drive a new car!

Improving your car’s fuel-efficiency

Everything from what’s in your car to the temperature inside the vehicle will affect fuel consumption. First, try not to rely on the air conditioning. Although it’s great on a hot day, it guzzles fuel so use the windows where possible.

Avoid carrying excess weight in the car too. Removing a roof rack if you have one and taking anything out of the car that’s not needed will save you fuel.

This weight loss exercise also applies to your fuel. Less petrol or diesel in the tank reduces the weight of your car, so don’t feel you need to keep your tank fully topped up.

How you look after your car can also make a difference to fuel consumption. Regularly checking your tyre pressure will improve fuel-efficiency, while keeping on top of your car’s general maintenance and servicing helps too.

Additional benefits of fuel-efficient driving

As well as saving you money, fuel-efficient driving achieves some additional benefits. First, it makes for safer driving. This comes from the way you drive, with smoother driving allowing you to react to any changes in road conditions. Driving with the right tyre pressure also reduces the risk of damage to your tyres and even a possible blowout.

It’s also good for the environment. Driving smoothly helps to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality, both of which are better for the planet.

Adopting fuel-efficient driving habits is simple yet delivers big benefits in terms of road safety and the environment, as well as your finances. Co-op Insurance could help you save money on your car insurance too. Visit our car insurance page for a quote and to see what we can offer.