These days, it seems, barely a month goes by without some event triggering a fluctuation in the cost of fuel and the combination of decreasing global supplies of oil and increasing instability in strategic areas of the world points to ever-increasing fuel costs.

In these circumstances, all drivers, whether corporate or private, would be well advised to take steps to reduce these costs. Here are a few practical suggestions:

• Reducing your speed WILL reduce the fuel consumed. Some people report a reduction in fuel consumption of over 25 per cent when driving at 60 on motorways instead of 70!
• Consider a lower level of C0₂ emissions for a lower rate of vehicle excise duty (road fund tax).
• Next time you change your car, consider if a diesel car would afford you increased mpg
• Next time you change your car, make sure you find out the mpg
• Have your car serviced regularly, and especially ensure that the wheels are aligned correctly and the engine properly tuned
• Check your tyre pressures - under inflated tyres not only wear out more quickly, they increase fuel consumption by up to 8 per cent
• Avoid braking sharply and accelerating rapidly - these increase fuel consumption by up to 10 per cent
• Remove the roof rack if you are not using it - and jettison any unnecessary weight, especially all that junk in the boot!
• Switch off the air conditioning if you do not need it - it can add another 10 per cent to your fuel costs ...
• ... but if you need to cool down, air conditioning is cheaper than driving with the windows open because wind drag causes fuel consumption to increase considerably
• Plan to fill up at cheaper sites - if you have to use an expensive station, purchase only what you need to get to a more economical one
• Bear in mind that driving more than five miles to find cheaper fuel is probably self-defeating
• Use petrol price comparison web sites

Finally, a question we should all ask ourselves on a regular basis: "Do I really need to take the car for this journey, or would it be cheaper and healthier to walk, or go by bike?"

How much do you spend on fuel?

Why don't you check our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much you spend on fuel per year.