Vehicles are more fuel efficient than ever. The average fuel economy of the US light-duty fleet has seen a 40 percent improvement in forty years, and every year, automakers are making ambitious goals of cutting vehicle weight or pushing their hybrid and electric models. These efforts might be undercut, however, by poor driving habits.

According to a study by the Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, American drivers are driving more and tend to have fewer passengers in their vehicle. The car might be getting better fuel economy, but there is a higher amount of fuel used per person on average. In order to get the most out of these more fuel-efficient cars, people need to carpool a little more and consider walking or biking instead of taking the car everywhere.

The decrease in passengers per car, however, could also be attributed to the rise in compact cars. More people are opting for smaller vehicles with less room for additional passengers, ironically enough because many automakers tout their compact cars as being fuel efficient.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Are you happy with the fuel efficiency of your car? Have you made any changes to your lifestyle to pay less at the pump? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will help you get a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net