Drivers warned they risk up to £5,000 fine and nine points on their licence by running out of petrol
DRIVERS have been warned that running out of petrol can cost them a £5k fine and nine points on their licence.
And consistently driving your vehicle on low fuel can cause a number of internal issues over time.
Motoring experts at AA have warned drivers that they can be fined for running out of petrol.
This comes after one of its members, who caused an obstruction on the road after running out of fuel, recently got a £100 fine.
Stopping in the road can see you slapped with a £100 fine and three points on your licence.
More serious cases, such as causing an accident, could mean you are forced to go to court, where you could land a much more severe penalty.
Motorists charged with careless driving face unlimited fines – though these usually do not exceed £5,000 – and up to nine penalty points.
But the same rules apply to those who drive an electric car.
If their batteries run out and they block a road, they can also get a fine.
The AA says it attended more than 10,500 breakdowns last year where members had run out of petrol or electrical charge.
And this happens because motorists are delaying filling up due to the cost of living crisis.
While running out of fuel isn’t illegal, drivers can be fined a minimum of £100 and three penalty points if their car obstructs the road.
Rule 97 of The Highway Code states: “Before setting off. You must ensure – that you have sufficient fuel for your journey, especially if it includes motorway driving.”
Nick Powell, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “There are some occasions when running out of fuel is totally understandable such as a fuel gauge developing a fault mid-journey, or the fuel tank has struck something in the road.
“But the majority of cases that we see at the roadside are where drivers have run out of fuel because they thought they could make it home or to a cheaper filling station.
“Running out can leave you in a potentially dangerous position.
‘Many people are finding the cost-of-living crisis difficult, and fuel costs do hit hard on the family budget.
“We know anecdotally from our patrols that many people they rescue blame high fuel prices and the temptation to fill up as infrequently as possible.”
Last year, cops handed a fine to an Audi driver after they ran out of fuel on the M60 motorway near Manchester.