Driving to the speed limit will not only save lives, spare you of an unwanted speeding ticket but equally important, help to reduce fuel consumption which in turn translates into saving money.

And in view of today’s high fuel prices, that’ll definitely go a long way.

Believe it or not, but in countries like the United States for example, the national speed limit was originally intended to save fuel, not lives.

In the wake of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war that had caused fuel prices to escalate, the US Congress had imposed a nationwide 55mph (89km/h) speed limit resulting in motorists using 17 per cent less fuel per mile. This translated into the US saving a total of eight or nine million gallons of fuel per day and since 1973, the US Government had also saved about 9,000 lives per year.

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute reported that the 55mph speed limit in 1974 had resulted in fuel consumption declining in 1974, saving the US about 255,000 barrels per day of petroleum.

That same year, the British Government also reduced speeds limits on motorways to 70mph (112km/h), 60mph (96km/h) on dual carriageways and 50mph (80km/h) on all other roads.

The British Ministry of Transport said the 5mph speed reduction saved £10 million pounds sterling (approximately RM67 million) a year in fuel costs.

The US Federal Trade Commission in a study proved that the faster one drives, the more fuel the vehicle consumes.

Driving at 65mph (105km/h) rather than 55mph (89km/h), increases fuel consumption by 20 per cent. Driving at 75mph (121km/h), rather than 65mph (105km/h) meanwhile, increases fuel consumption by another 25 per cent.

The New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) in a similar study found that driving at 56mph (90km/h) instead of 68mph (110km/h) saves 25 per cent in terms of fuel consumption.

Numerous research has also proven that weather conditions, aerodynamic drag as a vehicle moves through the air, the use of accessories, tyre inflation and wheel alignment, the tuning of the engine, how much weight a vehicle is carrying, its speed and a driver’s habits all play a role in fuel saving.

Driving up a steep road with a 7 per cent gradient for instance, can cause you to use to as much as 25 per cent more fuel. Under inflated tyres or misaligned wheels meanwhile, causes a vehicle to consume six to 10 per cent more fuel.

Drivers who manage their driving habits - accelerating gradually, driving smoothly and with care – on the other hand, can boost fuel economy as much as 20 percent compared to a more aggressive driving style.

The Japan Car Care Council reported that about 17 per cent of vehicles on the roads have fuel caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of petrol to vaporize every year.

Recommending the use of cruise control, it found that fuel consumption decreased rapidly at speeds above 60mph (97km/h) where each mph driven over 60 resulted in an additional 10 cents per gallon.