You might be a driver who tops up the fuel tank frequently to make sure the dial gets nowhere near the reserve, or you may be more likely to wait until the dreaded fuel light pings on before thinking about a trip to the petrol station.
Making sure your tank is topped up is something all motorists have to do on a regular basis, but 42 per cent of drivers admit to waiting until the wee orange dashboard light activates before filling up.
Many drivers might assume that even when the light comes on they still have a certain amount of fuel in the tank so might even delay the trip to the petrol forecourt event further.
But one expert shared how much petrol or diesel is actually left in the tank at this point and he said you should always refuel when the dial hits a quarter tank.
Tim Rodie, from Motorpoint, said: “As a general rule, the warning light will only come on when the total capacity of your fuel tank drops below 10 – 15 percent. How far this will get you is completely dependent on how good your fuel economy is and the way you drive.
“There isn’t a standard distance you’ll be able to travel with your fuel warning light on, so it’s always better to be cautious and fill up as soon as possible.
“The longer you leave it to fill up, the greater the risk is that you’ll unknowingly cause damage to your engine – which will cost you much more in the long run to fix.”
And he added that that light is a crucial reminder for all drivers. He said: “It’s important to remember that the fuel warning light is designed to make it clear that you must fill up your car, nothing good can come from trying to run down your remaining mileage.”
It is not illegal to drive with your fuel light on, however, if your car breaks down as a result of not filling up and causes an obstruction or accident, you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
According to the Highway Code, if you run out of fuel when driving and cause an obstruction or accident this can be viewed as ‘careless and inconsiderate driving’, which carries an unlimited fine and between three and nine penalty points.
Tim commented: “As a motorist, you have a responsibility to drive in a way that won’t put yourself or other road users at risk and running out of fuel can be dangerous.
“Breaking down and having to wait at the side as a result of your fuel running out is completely avoidable and can lead to accidents – particularly if it were to happen on a motorway or other busy road.”