Gas prices continue to hit new records. Here’s how to save at the pump

As gas prices hit new records amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, here are some tips to improve fuel efficiency and avoid overpaying at the pump.

Gas prices are hitting highs that have never before been seen in Canada.

The retail price of regular gas surpassed the $2 per litre mark in many parts of Metro Vancouver Friday, with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) putting averages for Toronto at $1.67 per litre, for Montreal at $1.84 per litre and St. John’s, N.L., at $1.77 per litre.

Demand for fuel is surging as COVID-19 restrictions drop across the country, while the war in Ukraine is putting a run on the world’s already constrained supply of oil.

And prices aren’t expected to ease anytime soon.

As Canadians brace for another tough weekend at the pump, there are a few ways to reduce your personal gas bill, as well as a few common strategies experts say might be overblown.

Kristine D’Arbelles, senior director of public affairs at CAA, says the organization’s top tip for trimming the gas bill is to drive smarter and not brake harder.

CAA’s advice to coast your vehicle into a stop rather than slamming on the brakes and to slowly accelerate afterwards might not be news to Canadian motorists, but they may be surprised to learn the cumulative effect that gradual slowing down and speeding up can have on your gas bill. Done over the course of the year, D’Arbelles says these driving techniques can save up to 20 per cent on fuel consumption annually.

Citing research from Natural Resources Canada, she also says that a hard stop and rapid acceleration typically only cuts down on four per cent of travel time but increases fuel consumption by almost 40 per cent.