Make every mile count: GEM’s tips to beat pain at the pump

• Smooth acceleration, early observation and gentle braking reduce fuel use and collision risk  
• Nearly 30,000 people were killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads in 2025, showing that progress has stalled  
• GEM says a driver covering 8,000 miles annually could save from around £145 to more than £200 a year at current prices. 

Breakdown and road-safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging drivers to adopt a smoother driving style, saying it is one of the simplest ways to reduce fuel costs while making roads safer for everyone.

Pump prices continue to put pressure on household budgets; GEM says drivers can make the most of every litre by looking further ahead, maintaining steady speeds, leaving more space and avoiding sharp acceleration or heavy braking.

For a driver covering 8,000 miles a year in a typical 40mpg petrol car, cutting fuel use by 10% could save around £145 a year at current prices. A 15% reduction could mean savings of more than £200*.

The benefits extend well beyond the wallet, according to GEM. The same behaviours that waste fuel - speeding up unnecessarily, following too closely and braking harshly - also leave less time and space to deal safely with the unexpected.

The latest road casualty figures underline the need for renewed action. In 2025, 29,918 people were killed or seriously injured in reported collisions on Great Britain’s roads, a 4% increase on the previous year**.

GEM says this lack of sustained progress should encourage every driver to consider the difference their everyday choices can make. 

James Luckhurst, head of road safety at GEM Motoring Assist, said: “Fuel prices are unlikely to offer drivers much relief in the near future, but there is a practical action everyone can take today: drive more smoothly.

“Ease away from traffic lights, anticipate what is happening well ahead and give the vehicle in front a proper gap. You will brake less, accelerate less and use less fuel. Just as important, you will have more time to spot a developing hazard and avoid a last-second reaction.

“Good eco-driving is not about crawling along or holding other people up. It is about being calm, observant and in control. Those are qualities that save money - and can save lives.”

Simple tips from GEM

GEM’s advice for the next journey is simple straightforward: 

• check tyre pressures
• remove unnecessary weight
• plan ahead
• keep a safe following distance 
• use the highest suitable gear without labouring the engine. 
• avoid idling for longer than necessary and aim for smooth, progressive steering, acceleration and braking

* For a motorist driving 8,000 miles a year in a petrol car returning 40mpg, a 10% reduction in fuel use could save around £145 annually at current pump prices. GEM says the savings are achievable through smoother acceleration and braking, better anticipation, correct tyre pressures and avoiding unnecessary idling - changes that can also reduce collision risk by giving a driver more time and space to respond safely.

** gov.uk

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