Car cost concern prompts petrol light peril

With 90% of Brits feeling that the overall cost of running a car has become increasingly difficult to manage, people are resorting to sometimes desperate measures to manage these costs according to new research from carpooling experts BlablaCar.

20% of women have regularly driven with the fuel light on because they feel they can’t afford to fill up, with 18-55s being the worst age offenders. And this is set to continue with 87% of people concerned about the rising costs of petrol, including 9% who don’t even drive. Over 50% think car cost rises are a critical concern.

The AA recently identified that, compared to a year ago, “a typical 50-litre petrol refill now costs £9.61 more, adding £40.81 to the monthly petrol spend of a two-car family”.

And this car cost concern also means that we are driving less with 38% admitting to having reduced the number of long distance they have taken in the last year. Those from Scotland (42%) and Yorkshire (42%) have reduced the most across the country, with the older generation reducing their journeys the most against other age groups. With trains recently branded the ‘rich man’s toy’, many people are being forced to stay at home rather than make a trip.

Nicolas Brusson, Co-founder of BlablaCar, said: “Car cost concern is certainly causing UK drivers to think twice about getting behind the wheel. Long distances in particular are clearly affected. An easy way to reduce the cost of the journey is to share it and carpooling is a very real option now in the UK.”

Interestingly, 11% have already started to share more of their journeys to reduce running costs. Carpooling can help drivers save a significant amount of money each month, reducing the impact that the increase in the price of petrol has on their budget. BlablaCar for example could save drivers as much as £60 on a single journey[iii] for a route such as London to Manchester, offsetting not only their entire petrol cost but also most of their vehicle running costs.

Nicolas Brusson, continued: “Whatever the journey we would warn against deliberately driving with the fuel light on of course, safety must always come above costs saving for everyone.”