Here are some simple ideas to help you get the most out of your driving miles (and your dollars!)

Plan ahead.

If you have somewhere to go and you need your car, consider trip-chaining or combining your trips. You can postpone trips that are not time sensitive and do those when you will already be out and about. Consider if there is someone in your family or in your neighborhood that might be going the same way and rideshare.

Keep it tuned up.

You can keep your car running at maximum fuel efficiency by keeping your engine tuned up and the tires inflated properly. These two small steps can save you up to $400 per year on gas.

Drive less aggressively.

Aggressive drivers are using an extra 125 gallons of gas and spending over $250 more than average drivers each year.

Travel light and pack smart.

Carrying around an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle can reduce economy by 2 percent. Place luggage and other loads inside rather than on your roof when possible to minimize drag. Be sure to remove your after-market roof rack if you have one, when you are not using it.

Slow down.

In highway travel, exceeding the speed limit by a mere 5 mph results in an average fuel economy loss of 6 percent.

Know when to use the air.

Air conditioning can decrease your fuel efficiency by as much as 12 percent in stop-and-go traffic, so consider cracking the windows. At high speeds however, driving with the windows open can decrease overall efficiency of the vehicle.

Do not idle.

If you are stopping for more than ten seconds – except in traffic of course – turn off your engine. Idling for more than ten seconds uses more gas and creates more global warming pollution than simply restarting your engine.