Fuel panic: Eight tips to save fuel to avoid petrol stations

Green Flag's tips to conserve fuel during the shortage:

1. Slow down - Keeping your speed down can reduce fuel consumption of the engine and will help prevent you from running out unnecessarily. 

1. Avoid motorways – If you are running low on fuel, avoid entering a motorway. If you do break down on a motorway, you should pull over on a hard shoulder, if it’s safe to, and call your breakdown provider for assistance.

1. Find the shortest route – Plan ahead and find the shortest route to your destination to make the journey time shorter; it's more economical and uses less fuel.

1. Lose weight from the car – Whilst this is an obvious one, avoid carrying unnecessary weight in the vehicle as it can put more strain on the car and lead to higher fuel consumption.

1. Turn off the air-con and close windows - Using air conditioning during the journey can increase a car's fuel consumption. In addition, keeping windows open can create a drag in the car. Keeping both at a minimum can help you save fuel.

1. Multi-tasking saves money – Whilst we're urging drivers to only drive their car if needed, combine your trips into one to make it more fuel-efficient than several short ones, as you are using less fuel to warm up the engine each time.

1. Check tyre pressure - Ensuring your tyres are at the correct pressure allows them to run at optimum fuel efficiency.

1. Check the oil - As well as maintaining the correct levels of oil, you should also check the type of oil used as it can sometimes increase the number of miles per litre.

1. Give the car a break - If you find yourself stuck in heavy traffic or waiting for passengers, turn off the engine to avoid wasting fuel.

1. Smoothly does it - Trying to drive as smoothly as possible and maintain a steady speed can reduce the number of miles per litre the car can clock up.