Petrol and diesel vehicle owners can reduce fuel costs by up to £40 through a single adjustment: adopting smoother driving techniques. Experts highlight that easing off aggressive acceleration and braking delivers significant savings amid rising pump prices.
How Aggressive Driving Increases Fuel Consumption
Motoring specialists note that sharp acceleration and sudden braking can boost fuel use by as much as 40%. In contrast, maintaining steady speeds, avoiding rapid takeoffs, and gently coasting to stops optimize efficiency. For a typical 55-litre diesel tank now costing around £100 to fill, a 40% fuel reduction translates to £40 in savings per tank.
Stop-start cycles in congested traffic exacerbate waste. Government eco-driving guidelines indicate that such patterns raise consumption by 10-40% during heavy urban driving.
Expert Recommendations for Fuel Efficiency
Scott Greensmith, motor expert at ClickMechanic, advises: “Driving more smoothly and anticipating traffic ahead can make a noticeable difference to efficiency. Constant stop-start driving and sudden bursts of speed force the engine to work harder, which uses more fuel over time.”
The AA recommends lifting off the accelerator early to sustain steady speeds, a technique proven to lower costs for everyday drivers.
UK Fuel Prices Continue to Surge
The ongoing fuel crisis shows no signs of easing, with unleaded petrol prices climbing 21.6p per litre since late February. Diesel averages have jumped 42.9p per litre over the past five weeks. RAC Fuel Watch data suggests further increases remain likely.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams stated: “The increases drivers have had to endure in March 2026 far exceed those seen in the early days of the war in Ukraine. While the monthly rise in a litre of petrol is bad enough, the jump in the cost of diesel is even harder to swallow at 40p a litre – 18p more than the previous monthly record.”
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