Planning a Road Trip? The SHA Can Help Save You Some Green

It's road trip season, meaning many of us will be burning lots of cash on fuel as we make our way to the beach and beyond.

According to the State Highway Administration, drivers can save some serious money by following a few useful tips:

Get the junk out of your trunk: Removing extra items from a vehicle saves gas. Every 100 pounds in a vehicle can reduce miles per gallon by up to 2 percent.

Keep tires properly inflated: Keeping your tires properly inflated translates into a free tank of gas a year, and reduces CO2 emissions. 

Change your oil, replace your air filter: Improve fuel economy by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Also, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing a clogged air filter can increase your mileage by 10 percent.

Tighten your fuel cap: Tightening gas caps can save as much as 30 gallons of gasoline that could be lost annually to evaporation.

Reduce drag: Remove luggage racks, roof-top carriers and ski racks when they're not in use—it cuts down on drag. 

Slow down: Every five miles over the 60 mph limit is equivalent to paying 20 extra cents per gallon for gas.

Keep moving: Slow-and-go is always better than stop-and-go. It can take 20 percent more fuel to accelerate from a full stop than from five miles per hour. Try to anticipate stops and coast as much as possible.

Lay off the air: Air conditioning can reduce mileage by as much as 20 percent. When possible, roll down the window instead.

Use cruise control: Using cruise control on 10,000 miles driven in a year could save you nearly $200 and more than 60 gallons of fuel.

Combine trips: Plan ahead so all errands can be accomplished in one trip. Go to the furthest destination first and then work back.