Experts predict that gas prices will rise even higher through the 2011 summer driving season. To keep more cash in your pocket, and ease the pain at the pump, here are some simple techniques to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
Drive Slower According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the most efficient speed to operate a vehicle is between 55-60mph. Slowing down from 75mph to 55mph can increase your fuel efficiency by 20% or more. See the graph below from the EPA. At the current price of gas ($3.40) you can save up $.70 a gallon just by slowing down! 
Remove Your Roof Racks When I removed the bike rack from the roof of my car, my mileage improved from about 26.2mpg to 27.5mpg (that’s a 5% improvement!).
Remove Excess Weight From Your Car According to the EPA, for every 100 pounds of additional weight you carry in your car, you fuel mileage will go down 2%.
Avoid Idling Your Engine Try to avoid letting your engine idle for extended periods of time. If it looks like your going to be sitting still for an extended period of time shut turn the car off.
Use Cruise Control Cruise control will help increase your mileage by reducing the constant speeding up and slowing down that drivers often do without even realizing. Your car will run more efficiently at a constant speed.
Don’t “Show boat” Around Town! 
Rapid acceleration is a sure way to decrease your cars gas mileage, not to mention the increased wear and tear on your drive train. You can do “burnouts” if you want, but I don’t want to hear you complaining about the high price of gas (or tires for that matter).
Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated Properly inflated tires can increase you fuel efficiency between 2-4%. Keep your tires inflated at the maximum allowable pressure as recommended by the manufacturer. Consult your vehicles owner’s manual for more information.
Change Your Car’s Air Filter Believe it or not, according to the EPA, changing a clogged air filter on your car will improve your fuel efficiency by up to 10%. That’s another $.35 in savings per gallon! Use the Recommended Grade of Oil Using the correct grade of oil for your car can improve your mileage by 1-2%. Also, be sure to change your oil as recommended by your owners manual. The nastier your oil gets, the less efficient your car’s engine will run.
For more great tips on saving gas, consult the US Department of Energy’s Fuel Economy Guide 2008.
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