I’m an expert driver so you can save up to £40 a month on petrol

A DRIVING expert has revealed how to get some much-needed cash back if gas prices keep rising.

and Kevin Bucher reckons that following his top tips can save you a whopping £500 a year.

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Kevin, who holds a Guinness World Record for his money-saving expertise, is a so-called hypermiler.

It aims to exceed the vehicle manufacturer’s stated fuel efficiency – which means it gets every mile possible out of a tank.

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

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

“My goal was to do it in a similar time but using as little fuel as possible to reduce my costs.

“Over a month I saved about £40, so that adds up over a year.”

He described his Hypermiling technique as “trying to drive as smoothly as possible” – always making sure your car is properly primed.

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

“It’s just a smoother way to drive, a bit like the Highway Code suggests you should drive.”

Kevin’s advice includes Avoiding hard accelerationreduce your load and maintain engine maintenance.

But there are other simple things you can do to make your fuel – which now costs more than 160p a liter – go further with every penny you spend.

Jim Holder, editorial director at Haymarket Automotive, which publishes What Car, has announced his top 4.

1. Check tire pressure

Jim said that while it may seem obvious, checking tire pressure is important.

Lower pressure can mean more friction on the road, resulting in higher fuel consumption.

2. Close window

Another simple solution is to keep all car windows closed while driving.

“The wind resistance on your car really makes a big difference,” Jim said.

His calculations showed that at 80 km/h with the windows down, fuel efficiency could drop by 20 percent.

3. Reduce heavy loads

Being overweight could also cost you dearly at the pump.

Jim said, “Any weight you carry in the car, you pay to carry it around every trip.”

So if you can empty the trunk a bit before driving, it could have a big impact in the long run.

4. Adjust your driving style

But the main way to save up to £40 a month is to change the way you drive.

“It’s really about relaxing, trying to anticipate what’s ahead and not accelerating to the lights and stopping sharply,” he said.

Jim added: “Lots of small changes can add up and if you can apply them all it won’t be crazy to think of at least a 10 percent fuel saving and that means 1 in 10 fewer trips to the gas station.

“If you’re going at about 55 or 60 mph on the freeway, you’re getting far better fuel economy than if you’re going 70 mph and breaking the speed limit.”

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