There’s going to be a lot of long distance driving going on this holiday weekend and in an effort to help consumers cope with rising gas prices, New York State’s Department of Transportation has provided motorists with some simple steps to save fuel. The recommendations are part of an Eco-Driving Campaign to reduce carbon emissions during the busy summer travel season. The Eco-Driving program offers drivers seven easy actions they can take to reduce their fuel cost by up to $80 for a 700-mile round-trip journey. Luckily, you don’t have to live in New York to put these tips into action!

Here are the 7 tips:

• Removing unnecessary items from the trunk in order to reduce vehicle weight can save three to six cents per gallon.
• Fully inflating tires can save up to nine cents per gallon.
• Changing vehicle oil on a regular basis can save three to six cents per gallon.
• Tightening the fuel cap to prevent gasoline fumes from escaping can save 30 gallons of gas per year.
• Reducing speed by five miles-per-hour when driving at more than 60 mph can save 24 cents per gallon.
• Using air conditioning instead of opening windows when driving at more than 40 MPH can improve fuel efficiency by 10 percent.
• Using cruise control can improve fuel economy by seven percent and save 20 cents per gallon.

Happy trails.