CINCINNATI — Gas prices well above $4 a gallon have drivers looking for every possible way to save. But one of the easiest solutions may already be in your hands — literally.
Small changes in how you drive could reduce your fuel costs significantly, according to Candice Morley of Mike Albert Fleet Solutions, and the culprits may surprise you.
"The ways to save money are often hidden behaviors you don't even realize you're doing," Morley said. "You could decrease your fuel costs from 10 to 30% just by identifying them, then reducing the behaviors."
WATCH: Our consumer team sees if these driving habits can help improve their gas mileage
Morley's top piece of advice is straightforward.
"To reduce your fuel consumption, it's important to consider just driving gently, slow," Morley said. "You really do not need to accelerate quickly."
That means two things above all else:
- Avoid jackrabbit starts — flooring the accelerator from a stop burns significantly more fuel
- Keep a safe following distance — so you never have to slam on the brakes
"Keeping a safe distance if you have vehicles in front of you, so you do not need to harshly brake," Morley said.
Harsh acceleration and hard braking are two of the biggest fuel-wasting habits drivers overlook, and both are simple to fix.
We put it to the test
To show how these habits work in the real world, Morley took us out in a GMC Yukon — a large SUV where a single fill-up can now top $100 — to demonstrate the difference gentle driving makes.
We both took a turn behind the wheel. The result? Morley called it a draw. We each accelerated and braked a little too aggressively.
The lesson was clear: even when you think you're driving smoothly, there's likely room to improve.
Watch out for drive-thrus
One fuel-wasting habit that often flies under the radar: sitting in a drive-thru lane. Idling is a quiet gas guzzler, and the fix is simple.
"I'd recommend if you are idling more than one minute to just turn the vehicle off," Morley said.
If the line looks long, consider parking and going inside instead.
Don't forget your tire pressure
One final tip that costs nothing: check your tire pressure.
Underinflated tires hurt your gas mileage — and many drivers never think to check them.
Here's how to do it:
- Find the recommended tire pressure — look for a sticker on the inside of your driver's side door or check your glove box
- Compare it to your current pressure — use a tire pressure gauge, available at any auto parts store
- Inflate to the recommended setting — many gas stations have air pumps available
How to save money on gas with better driving habits
- Accelerate gently
- Keep a safe following distance to avoid hard braking
- Turn off your engine if idling for more than one minute
- Check and maintain proper tire pressure
Morley says the savings start with awareness; once you identify the hidden behaviors, reducing them is the easy part.
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