Martin Lewis has warned motorists that aggressive driving could be burning up to 30% more fuel, as petrol and diesel prices continue to climb. The money saving expert said that heavy use of the accelerator and brake is a 'money burner' that significantly reduces fuel efficiency.
Speaking on his ITV Money Show Live, Lewis explained that the accelerator acts as a 'money pump' while braking converts stored energy into heat, wasting it. He advised drivers to anticipate road conditions, maintain safe distances, and accelerate and decelerate gradually to improve efficiency by up to 30%.
Lewis also recommended practical vehicle modifications: remove unused roof racks to reduce drag, clear out heavy items from the boot (every 45kg reduces efficiency by 1%), keep tyres properly inflated to avoid a 3-4% fuel penalty, and use air conditioning judiciously—at low speeds it's costly, but at high speeds opening windows creates drag.
According to the RAC, average unleaded petrol prices hit 142.3p per litre on Tuesday, up 7.1% since late February, while diesel surged nearly 14% to 162.1p per litre. Lewis urged drivers to adopt these tips, especially with current high prices.
