Eco-Friendly Driving: DVSA Skill 13 — Fuel Efficiency Guide
Eco-driving is not about crawling along in top gear at 20 mph. Done properly, it makes you a smoother, more anticipatory driver — exactly the qualities that also help you pass your driving test. DVSA Skill 13 asks you to demonstrate that you understand how your inputs affect the environment, and that you can modify your driving accordingly without compromising safety.
What Examiners Look For
Your examiner wants to see evidence that you are using your vehicle efficiently. That means smooth acceleration rather than sharp bursts, appropriate gear selection that avoids over-revving, and momentum management that reduces unnecessary braking.
They are not expecting you to obsess over the rev counter at the expense of everything else. Eco-driving must always sit within safe driving. Coasting in neutral into a junction, for example, is not eco-driving — it is a loss of control, because you cannot accelerate quickly if you need to. The skill is finding the balance: using fuel wisely while remaining fully in control.
Block gear changes — moving from fourth directly to second rather than stepping through third — are a clear and visible demonstration of the skill. So is lifting off the accelerator early when you see traffic lights ahead change to red, rather than driving to the line and then braking.
If you leave your engine running while stationary for more than a couple of minutes — in a queue that has completely stopped, for example — that is also noted. Modern guidance recommends switching the engine off for stops over one to two minutes to avoid unnecessary idling emissions.
The 5 DVSA Levels for Eco-Friendly Driving
Level 1: Introduced
Your instructor has explained the principles of eco-driving: gear selection, smooth inputs, momentum management, and reduced idling. You understand the theory but have not yet applied it on the road.
Level 2: Helped
You can make eco-conscious gear changes and lift off the accelerator early when instructed to do so. You rely on prompts to apply block gear changes or to coast to stops.
Level 3: Prompted
You apply most eco-driving principles without being asked, but occasionally need reminders — for example, to change up earlier on a long straight, or to lift off sooner when a junction is visible ahead.
Level 4: Independent
You make eco-conscious decisions consistently throughout a drive. Your gear changes are smooth and well-timed, your acceleration is progressive, and you rarely brake when you could have coasted.
Level 5: Reflection
Test-ready standard. You automatically integrate eco-driving into everything you do. You can explain why you made a particular gear choice, describe how you used momentum to avoid braking, and identify where you could have done even better. Your driving is noticeably smooth and purposeful.
Technique: The Four Pillars of Eco-Driving
1. Gear Selection
The most direct way to reduce fuel consumption is to drive in the highest gear that the situation safely allows. Engines burn more fuel at higher revs, so changing up earlier keeps revs lower for the same road speed.
In a petrol car, aim to change up by 2,000 rpm. In a diesel, the engine produces more torque at lower revs, so you can change up earlier still — around 1,500–2,000 rpm in normal driving, or 2,500 rpm under load.
Avoid holding a low gear when you do not need it. If you are in third gear on a clear 30 mph road with no junctions ahead, change up to fourth. The car will feel more relaxed, use less fuel, and produce less noise.
2. Block Gear Changes
Sequential gear changes — 4th, 3rd, 2nd — are common among learner drivers because they feel natural. But they are not always necessary. When you need to drop several gears to slow and re-engage, skip the intermediate steps.
For example: approaching a roundabout from 40 mph in 4th gear, you can move straight to 2nd as you slow, rather than stepping through 3rd on the way. This is a block gear change. It saves time, reduces unnecessary shifting, and demonstrates anticipation — you have already judged what gear you will need when you re-engage.
The key rule is: only block gear change when it is safe to do so. Always ensure your speed matches the gear you are dropping into before you release the clutch.
3. Momentum Management
Every time you accelerate and then brake shortly after, you have wasted fuel. Eco-driving means treating momentum as a resource. If you can see the traffic lights are red 200 metres ahead, lifting off the accelerator now and coasting uses zero fuel and gets you to roughly the right speed without touching the brakes.
This is also one of the clearest signs to an examiner that you are reading the road ahead. Drivers who coast to stops are looking further ahead than drivers who brake at the last moment.
Coasting in gear (foot off the accelerator but clutch engaged) cuts fuel supply to the engine entirely on modern fuel-injected cars. Coasting in neutral does not — the engine still needs fuel to idle. So coast in gear wherever possible; only drop to neutral when you need to before stopping.
4. Avoiding Unnecessary Acceleration
Anticipation — Skill 10 — is the foundation of eco-driving. If you read traffic lights, roundabouts, and junctions early, you accelerate less often, because you are not rushing to reach a position only to brake again. The driver who surges forward when lights turn green and then stops at the next set has burned fuel twice for no gain over the driver who rolled forward steadily at 20 mph and timed the lights perfectly.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
| Mistake | Why It Happens | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Holding 3rd gear at 40 mph | Reluctance to change up, or not monitoring revs | Listen to the engine — if it sounds relaxed, try the next gear up |
| Braking instead of coasting | Reacting late to hazards ahead | Look further ahead; lift off earlier so momentum does the work |
| Revving heavily on acceleration | Rushing to reach speed | Accelerate progressively — firm but smooth, not floored |
| Coasting in neutral into junctions | Confusion between coasting and neutral | Stay in gear until you need neutral; retain engine braking and control |
| Leaving engine running in stationary queue | Habit, or uncertainty about restarting | If stopped for more than 60–90 seconds, switch off |
Practice Tips
Focus on the rev counter. For one full lesson, keep conscious track of your revs and change up before you hit 2,000 rpm (petrol) or 2,500 rpm (diesel). It will feel unusual at first — that is a sign the habit needed building.
Practice block gear changes on quiet roads. Ask your instructor to call out random gear changes — “drop to 2nd” — so you get comfortable skipping gears without thinking about it sequentially.
Time traffic lights. On roads you know, practice lifting off the accelerator as soon as you can see a red light ahead and aim to arrive at the correct speed without braking. The earlier your lift-off, the smoother the arrival.
Compare your fuel use. If you have access to a car with a real-time fuel consumption display, use it as a game. Aim to keep the number as low as possible for a whole journey without compromising safety or pace.
Review your braking. After every journey, ask yourself: how many times did I brake when I could have coasted? Each unnecessary brake application is also an unnecessary acceleration that preceded it.
Track Your Progress
Your instructor can assess eco-driving alongside your normal lesson by noting how many times you held a gear unnecessarily or braked where coasting was available. Tracking these specific moments over several lessons gives you a clear picture of improvement.
Related Skills
- Use of Speed (Skill 11) — Appropriate speed and eco-driving overlap: smooth speed management reduces both hazards and fuel use
- Anticipation and Planning (Skill 10) — The further ahead you read the road, the less often you accelerate unnecessarily
- Dealing with Other Road Users (Skill 12) — Smooth, predictable driving benefits other road users as well as your fuel consumption