It seems that we are all driving a little less quickly over recent months. The cause is simple - economic reality. Rising fuel prices are now making drivers think twice about putting the pedal to the metal and it all makes perfect sense, as motorists can get an extra 3mpg by simply easing off the accelerator.

The AA Motoring Trust in UK says it has strong evidence that drivers are becoming thrifty, with mobile patrol officers reporting a huge increase in cars taking to the inside lanes of motorways and sticking to a self imposed speed limit of 55-60mph.
 
Experts point out that in terms of actual journey times on busy roads and motorways, dropping your speed makes little difference, yet travelling over 60 mph has a big impact on fuel consumption. This is mainly down to increased wind resistance, with tests showing that for every mile over 60 mph there is roughly a 1% reduction in fuel economy.