Drivers are wasting £200 a year in fuel – it rises to £1,000 in some vehicles

DRIVERS HAVE been warned they’re making mistakes that are costing them as much as £200 a year in petrol.

With the cost of living crisis in full swing, drivers should pay more attention to how they drive to save money.

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Car experts at Halfords have come up with recommendations for improving fuel efficiency.

The most obvious one is watching your speed and avoiding harsh acceleration or braking.

On the motorway the further you go beyond 65mph the more fuel you’ll burn as your car works harder to fight drag.

Having under-inflated tyres is another important point – not only is it unsafe but could also be costing you a small fortune in fuel.

This is because the lower your tyre pressure, the more fuel your car will need to use to drag them around.

Keeping them inflated to the recommended level will not only benefit you in terms of safety and fuel consumption, but it’ll also help to maximise their lifespan. 

Air conditioning can be a blessing in hot weather, but it also puts additional strain on your engine.

Drivers should also always have a look online to see which route is the most fuel-efficient.

For drivers of light commercial vehicles, it’s even more important – these drivers could be burning up to £1,000 worth of excess fuel without making these changes.

Andy Turbefield, Head of Quality at Halfords, said: “The government is very focused on encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles.

“We support that, but we’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and there needs to be a much greater emphasis on helping people with the everyday costs of motoring, for the good of people’s pockets, the economy, and the environment.

“The 5p a litre fuel duty cut is worth £70 to motorists on average, but it is due to come to an end in March.”