Motorists face unlimited fine and licence points for running out of fuel this winter
DRIVERS are being advised on how to save fuel this winter following a year of uncertainty with petrol prices rocketing and supply issues causing chaos in September and October.
Martin Lewis provides advice on cutting fuel costs
After weeks of extreme weather from Storm Arwen and Storm Barra, drivers will be looking for calmer weather over the Christmas break. Battling heavy rain, gale force winds and snow became the norm for late November and early December, with numerous travel delays reported.
Motorists are being warned of the challenges they could face if they don’t keep an eye on their petrol or diesel levels this winter.
An empty tank could land drivers with a £100 penalty and three points on their licence if they break down in the road and cause an obstruction.
If the breakdown causes an accident, drivers could face court action, receive an unlimited fine or be issued nine points on their licence.
Because of this, experts are warning that it is vital for drivers to be mindful of their fuel consumption this winter, both to remain safe, but also to protect their wallets.
READ MORE: Drivers concerned over ‘constant engine light’ after using E10 petrol
Speed
Harsh acceleration and heavy braking are bad for fuel consumption and increase wear and tear on the engine.
Driving at higher speeds can naturally lead to higher fuel consumption. For example, a car driving at 75 mph uses around 18percent more fuel than a car driving at 60 mph, while for vans, this difference increases to 37percent, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Motorists are advised to stick to reasonable speeds to help conserve fuel, especially in winter weather.
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Tyre pressure
Driving with under-inflated tyres means that the car engine has to work harder to keep the car moving, which burns more fuel and increases CO2 emissions.
Regularly checking the tyre pressure, especially before long journeys, can help reduce fuel consumption and make the tyres last longer too.
The legal tyre tread limit is 1.6mm, although drivers are generally advised to change them once they get down to 3mm.
Turn engine off
Leaving the engine running when the car is stationary, or idling, uses a lot of fuel unnecessarily.
Some newer cars are now fitted with a feature, called stop-start, that automatically does this for you.
According to Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, drivers can receive a £20 fixed penalty fine if they leave an engine running.
Vehicle weight
Attachments like roof boxes, roof racks and bike racks add weight to the car and increase its fuel consumption.
Roof boxes increase fuel consumption by around 22 percent at 64 mph, according to the Vehicle Certification Agency.
This can rise to as much as 39 percent when driving at 75 mph.
Air conditioning
Brean Horne, personal finance expert at NerdWallet, said: “Cutting back on air conditioning could help you save on fuel.
“Air conditioning can increase fuel by up to five percent, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
“So, where possible, rolling down your windows can help cool down your car without using excess fuel.”