New research released by Kwik Fit has revealed the variety of different ways in which British drivers waste fuel, and consequently, significant amounts of money.
According to figures from a survey published by Kwik Fit, the tyres on up to 69% of vehicles currently driven on the British roads are at least 3psi under the manufacturer's recommendation. This is leading to a waste of almost £1billion per year in increased fuel consumption.
Another bad habit that up to 9.7 million Brits are guilty of is opening the windows on a warm day, instead of turning the air conditioner on. As the report warns, this is a false economy as the drag created by the open window can significantly affect their car's aerodynamics and, therefore, fuel consumption.
Data reveals that on a single warm day - with a car being driven with the windows open, reducing the fuel efficiency by 5% - more than £650,000 is being wasted on fuel.
Improving fuel efficiency
"Rather than panic-buying excess fuel, motorists could consider finding ways to improve their fuel efficiency. This can be achieved by making relatively simple adjustments, motorists can drive further on one tank and shouldn't really need to store extra fuel in jerry cans," said Roger Griggs, Communications Director at Kwik Fit.
Griggs added that there are several measures motorists can take to make what fuel they've got last longer, such as checking tyre pressures and using the air conditioning at speeds over 40 mph. He also added, "Motorists should also consider using fuel additives such as BG44K, which can improve fuel economy."
Griggs also stated that car owners should make sure their air con system is working effectively, pointing out that "this means giving it a regular service to get the best from it."
