News Published on : 25-Apr-2022 17:31:17

The rising cost of fuel is driving motorists off the roads as drivers cut back on unnecessary trips. New research from Confused.com found that two in five (40%) UK drivers are making a conscious effort to drive less in order to save on fuel as recent increases in the cost of fuel puts prices at the highest on record. Reports suggest that fuel prices could reach £ 2 per litre which puts the average cost of filling a medium tank at a staggering £ 100(2). This means motorists who drive regularly could be forking out hundreds of pounds in a month to top up on fuel. Worryingly these costs are forcing drivers to avoid topping up with many drivers admitting to making their fuel stretch as far as possible. While the majority (86%) of UK drivers generally keep their fuel topped up before or shortly after the fuel light comes on more than one in four (27%) motorists who can see their mileage on their fuel gauge admit to travelling with 10 miles or less in their tank. But it seems this risky behaviour is driven by the current cost of fuel as one in seven (13%) drivers who ve travelled with 10 miles or less in their tank claim they were trying to make the fuel last as long as possible so they wouldn t need to top up while one in 10 (11%) couldn t afford to top up their tank. Although experts at Confused.com suggest there are ways drivers can improve their fuel economy and make the miles last longer without risking levels falling to zero: Inflate tyres to the correct pressure - the surface area that s in contact with the road increases when a tyre is under-inflated. The more surface area in contact with the road the more drag on the wheel. ? Go easy on the accelerator - try to keep your driving smooth. Gentle acceleration and using the highest safe gear should use less fuel. ? Avoid idling - running your engine at idle consumes roughly half a gallon to about a gallon of fuel every hour. This means you re burning about 1.067 to 2.13 ounces of fuel every minute you re idle. ? Only top up with what you need - keeping your fuel topped up may be more cost effective