With the increased gas prices of recent years, the need for gas efficiency is more important now than ever. Let's take a look at some of the ways you can put more miles between fillups.

Acceleration and cruising speed – The single most important factor in getting better gas mileage is controlling your speed. Many advocate a slow steady start, but research has shown that fairly brisk acceleration (not pedal to the metal!) will actually save gas because you get up to cruising speed faster. Also, keep your highway speed at bay. Traveling faster than 70 mph eats away at your mpg due to the increased drag. Cutting back to 60 will do wonders for your fuel efficiency.

No heavy braking – Try to keep your speed constant when driving in city traffic. Don’t follow too closely to other cars. Every time you brake means you will have to accelerate again, using more fuel.

Drag – We mentioned drag earlier. Running boards, big grills, lights, large spoilers, visors and roof racks all create extra wind resistance. Installing a topper or toneau cover on a pickup truck can increase gas mileage because it reduces drag caused by the bed.

Weight – Clean out all the junk in your car you don’t need. All that extra stuff you are carrying around adds weight to your car; weight that consumes gas because your engine has to work harder to move it all.

Tire pressure – A tire that is low on pressure has an increased footprint, therefore increasing the rolling resistance of the vehicle. Inflate all tires to the manufacture's recommended amounts and check them regularly.

Engine performance – Replace your air filter. A dirty air filter decreases the amount of intake air into the engine and can cause a significant decrease in mpg. Use a fuel injector cleaner every 5 to 10 thousand miles. Tiny particles in gasoline can accumulate on your fuel injectors causing decreased efficiency. Change your spark plugs according to manufacture suggested maintenance. Poor performing spark plugs also can cause a decrease in engine performance.

Utilizing these techniques, you can hope to obtain better fuel economy on your next tank.