Martin Lewis warns drivers of car ‘money burner’ as fuel prices soar

The money-saving expert has shared essential tips to help drivers save up to 30% on petrol and diesel costs as prices continue to rise

12:50, 19 Mar 2026Updated 13:26, 19 Mar 2026

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Martin Lewis gave tips for drivers to reduce fuel usage as prices soar(Image: ITV)

Martin Lewis has issued a warning to drivers about the frequent use of a 'money burner' as fuel prices skyrocket. Petrol prices are now 10p higher than before the escalation of the Iran war, and diesel costs have surged by 20p a litre, according to recent data.

The RAC has stated that rising pump prices amid the Middle East conflict are "really starting to hurt drivers". On Tuesday, the average price of unleaded petrol at UK forecourts was 142.3p a litre, an increase of 7.1% since February 28.

Over approximately two weeks, average diesel prices have leapt nearly 14% to 162.1p per litre.

Speaking on his ITV Money Show Live this week, Mr Lewis suggested that people could reduce their fuel usage by up to 30 per cent with a few straightforward tips.

He highlighted that one of the key factors is how you drive the car - with being too heavy on the brake and accelerator being the biggest mistake. He said: "Our accelerator is a money pump. When you are pressing it, you are spending the fuel that you have put into the car.

"Your brake isn't much better; it's a money burner because when you're braking, you are converting the energy stored into the car into heat and throwing it away.

Now, I'm not saying don't accelerate or brake, because that's what driving's all about. But yeah, obviously, your road positioning, safe distance from the car in front, thinking ahead, all enables you to speed up more slowly and slow down more gradually, which is massively more fuel efficient."

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"So it all sounds a bit silly on the back of that, but when they do studies, making your car more efficient and driving a better way can cut 10% to 30% off your petrol and diesel cost, depending on where you start. So it really is worth having a look at, especially at the moment when prices are high.

Not rocket science, but worth knowing."

Mr Lewis also recommended making several adjustments to your vehicle:

Roof Rack Off:

He explained that if you have a roof rack fitted but aren't using it, remove it. He said: "If that's empty, get rid of it. Really inefficient.

You're having to push that through the wind on the motorway as you drive."

Items in the boot:

He said: "You want to get rid of junk in your trunk. Extra weight - for every about 45kg, it makes your car 1% less fuel efficient. So we get anything out of the boot that we're not using and heavy weight."

Check Tyre Pressure

Mr Lewis warned that under-inflated tyres can increase fuel bills by 3% or 4% due to reduced efficiency. "So get your tyres checked and pumped up properly."

Turn Off Aircon

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He said: "Finally, aircon.

When you're going at low speeds, your aircon can be really quite expensive proportionally, make the car much less fuel efficient.

At high speeds, if it's warm, keep it on, because opening your windows is again on the motorway will really add drag and make the car have to work much harder to go further."