Britannia Rescue Reveals Dangers Of Running Low On Fuel
Attempts by drivers to cut the cost of motoring could be causing them more financial trouble than it is worth, a new study shows.
In research carried out YouGov for Britannia Rescue, it was indicated an increasing number of motorists are cutting back on the amount of petrol that they have in their tanks. Over the past three months, it was revealed over half (59 per cent) of drivers have allowed the amount of fuel in the car to fall so low that their warning light has turned on. Meanwhile, about a quarter of motorists state to have driven on the minimal amount petrol at least once a month.
And although this may at first appear a good way to reduce the monetary pressures which filling up involves, it was reported doing so might lead to them damaging their vehicle. Over the last 12 weeks, 340,000 consumers were revealed to have broken down because of a lack of fuel. Such a figure represents an increase of ten per cent from data recorded this time in 2007.
Following on from suffering a breakdown, those drivers who lack a sufficient motor insurance policy might have to meet the cost of repairs to their vehicle by themselves. And when combined with the rising cost of petrol, it may be possible that car costs weigh down on consumers’ capacity to manage other areas of financial demand, which could include commitments such as personal loan repayments and credit cards.
Britannia Rescue indicated that at present it costs an average of 50 pounds to completely fill up a petrol tank, an increase of 11 pounds and 50 pence from last year. A fifth of motorists now claim to be unable to afford the cost of buying fuel. However, such financial pressures appear to be felt more acutely by single parents and young professionals with 37 and 26 per cent of these consumers respectively claiming to be unable to fill up their tanks.
Emma Holyer, spokesperson for Britannia Rescue, said: “Increases in fuel prices are hitting drivers hard, especially against a background of rising food and housing costs. But whilst it is now more costly to fill up at the pumps running a car on empty can damage a car’s fuel pump - requiring repairs that will make a full tank of 50 pounds’ petrol seem like a bargain.
“Drivers who run their car on empty are also at high risk of breaking down. Not only is this extremely costly if you don’t have breakdown cover and also very inconvenient, running out of fuel on the roads that don’t have a hard shoulder can create major safety hazards for other drivers.”
Consumers worried about their capacity to meet various car-related costs in the months to come might wish to consider getting a personal loan. By doing so, it may be possible that borrowers can meet expenses such as fuel, repairs and getting a comprehensive motor insurance policy quickly and affordably. Such a loan could be of particular help after a recent study carried out by uSwitch indicated that if oil prices continue to increase at their current rate, then the annual running cost for a car in 2009 could reach 3,800 pounds.
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