Spring is a great time to be driving, with clear roads and nice weather conditions that make every trip out on the road more enjoyable. That said, the rising price of gas has become a significant concern for many drivers. Luckily, we do have a certain level of control on how efficient our vehicle is.

So while we can't control the cost of fuel, we can control how much of it we use on our commute. Here are a few tips that will help you improve the fuel consumption of your vehicle and save you money every month.

Speed and driving habits

Your vehicle's speed and the way you drive your car or SUV has the biggest impact on fuel consumption. We all know that driving faster increases fuel consumption, but the actual numbers are quite surprising. For example, driving on the highway at 120 km/h consumes 20% more fuel than when driving at 100 km/h. In the end, you only save about 10 minutes on an average journey by driving faster and yet the impact on fuel consumption is very noticeable.

If you want to improve fuel economy, you also want to make sure that you are driving in a linear fashion. That means that you want to be smooth on the brakes and on the accelerator and avoid flooring your pedals.

Make sure your vehicle and your tires are in good condition

Your tires and your vehicle overall also play a key role in fuel efficiency. If your tires aren't in good condition, they increase rolling resistance which in turn leads to increased fuel consumption. The same will occur if your vehicles are not inflated properly. You might also want to consider the benefits of replacing your old summer tires with new tires designed to improve efficiency.

It is also a good decision to have your vehicle serviced for spring in order to clean your filters and make sure that everything is running in peak condition.

Remove unnecessary accessories

Accessories such as a bike rack or a roof box or trailer hitch add weight and decrease your vehicles aerodynamic efficiency. This in turn leads to increased fuel consumption.

These are all small changes, but they are incremental. Anyone looking to improve the efficiency of their vehicle will save a lot of fuel by applying some or all of these tips. Together, they can definitely help you save between 20% and 30% fuel.