I’m a driving expert and here’s how you can save up to £40 a month on petrol

A DRIVING expert has revealed how to claw back some much-needed cash as petrol prices continue to rise.

And Kevin Booker reckons following his top tips could save you a tidy £500 a year.

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Kevin, who holds a Guinness World Record for his money-saving expertise, is what is known as a hypermiler.

He aims to exceed a vehicle manufacturer’s stated fuel efficiency – meaning he squeezes every possible mile out of a tank.

Average miles per gallon (MPG) savings vary from car to car, but the 43-year-old managed to conserve £40 a month on his 70-mile round trips from Swansea to Brecon.

Speaking on BBC’s Morning Live, Kevin, who drove an electric car from John O’Groats to Lands’ End in 9,500.796 W.hrs/100km, said: “I started when I had a long commute to work and back.

“My aim was to try and do it in a similar sort of time but use the least fuel possible to reduce my costs.

“Over a month, I was saving around £40, so that mounts up over a year.”

He described his hypermiling technique as “trying to drive as smoothly as possible” – and always ensuring your car is correctly prepped.

“It’s about being smooth rather than slow, and reading the road so you can feed into roundabouts and not stop at traffic lights,” he said.

“It’s just a calmer way of driving, a bit like the Highway Code suggests you should drive.”

Kevin’s advice includes avoiding harsh acceleration, reducing your load, and keeping up motor maintenance.

But there are also other simple things you can do to make your fuel – which now costs more than 160p per litre – and each penny you spend go further.

Jim Holder, editorial director at Haymarket Automotive which publishes What Car?, has revealed his top four.

1. Check tyre pressure

Jim said that while it may be obvious, checking your tyre pressure is vital.

Low pressure can mean more friction on the road, which results in using more fuel.

2. Close windows

Another simple fix is keeping all car windows closed when on the move.

“Wind resistance on your car really does make a big difference,” Jim said.

His calculations revealed that having the windows down at 50mph could reduce fuel efficiency by 20 per cent.

3. Reduce heavy loads

Excess weight could also be costing you big at the pumps.

Jim said: “Any weight you carry in the car, you are paying to carry around on every journey.”

So if you can empty the boot a little before setting off, it could have a big impact in the long-run.

4. Adapt your driving style

But the main way to save up to £40 a month is by changing the way he drove.

“It’s really about relaxing, trying to anticipate what’s ahead, not accelerating up to traffic lights and coming to a sharp stop,” he said.

Jim added: “Lots of little changes can add up and if you can apply them all, it won’t be crazy to think of at least 10 per cent fuel economy gain and that means one in 10 less trips to the fuel station.

“If you travel on the motorway at around 55 or 60mph, you’ll get far better fuel economy than you would by pushing 70mph and the speed limit.”

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