According to the U.S. Department of Energy - Drivers can conserve fuel by learning how different driving behaviors affect fuel economy and by adopting techniques to save fuel and money. The amount of fuel your vehicle consumes depends heavily on how you drive. 

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph.

Example: You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.13 per gallon for gas. 

Ask the students what other methods can be used to increase fuel efficiency. 

Other methods include but are not limited to;

1. Removing excess weight – avoid keeping unnecessary items in your car. Extra pounds reduce your gas mileage.  

2. Avoid excessive idling – idling can use about a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on the engine size and if the AC is on.  

3. Use cruise control – using cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed, and in most cases saves gas. 

Fuel-efficient driving techniques 

Adopt these 5 fuel-efficient driving techniques to lower your vehicle’s fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 25%.

1. Accelerate gently - The harder you accelerate the more fuel you use.
2. Maintain a steady speed - When your speed dips and bursts, you use more fuel, and spend more money, than you need to.
3. Anticipate traffic - Look ahead while you’re driving to see what is coming up. And keep a comfortable distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.
4. Avoid high speeds - Keep to the speed limit and save on fuel!
5. Coast to decelerate - Every time you use your brakes, you waste your forward momentum. By looking ahead at how traffic allows you to see well in advance when it is time to slow down. You will save gas and save money by taking your foot off the accelerator and coasting to slow down instead of using your brakes.