Wichita’s average price for a gallon of gas is over $3. Here are 5 fuel-saving tips

A gallon of gas in Wichita costs 22 cents more than it did a month ago and $1.18 more than it did a year ago, according to GasBuddy, a real-time fuel pricing resource.

Gas prices across the country remain well over $3 a gallon with a national average of $3.36. Wichita’s Monday average was $3.08 per gallon.

The cost of fuel usually goes down after the summer vacationing season, but not this year. Premium prices at the pumps are a result of the surging cost of crude oil, which topped $80 per barrel this month for the first time since November 2014.

For drivers looking to get the most out of a tank of fuel, here are five tips:

• Avoid hard acceleration: Hard acceleration and “jackrabbit” starts from a dead stop waste valuable gas. Smooth acceleration allows automatic transmissions to upshift sooner and save fuel

• Drive the speed limit: According to AAA, aerodynamic drag can zap a vehicle of its fuel efficiency at speeds above 50 mph

• Keep idling to a minimum: Shut off the engine if your car will be stopped for more than a minute and don’t bother idling to warm up your engine. Doing so is costly and unnecessary

• Coast into red lights: When approaching a red light, stop accelerating and let your car coast until it’s time to brake

• Don’t bother with premium fuel: Unless your car manufacturer recommends or requires using high-octane premium fuel, unleaded gas should be more than adequate

This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 2:03 PM.