More than half of motorists are using their cars less as rising fuel costs place additional pressure on household finances, according to new research from Motorpoint.
A survey of 2,066 UK motorists with petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicles found that 53% had reduced their driving to save fuel. Motorpoint estimates this could represent more than 17 million car owners across the UK.
The research follows a reported 34% increase in fuel costs since the beginning of the year, including a 10% rise since the start of August.
Drivers face growing financial pressure
One-third of motorists surveyed said higher fuel prices were increasing the financial pressure on them, while 30% were finding it more difficult to afford fuel.
Nearly one in five respondents had reduced their household spending to cover the rising cost of filling up. Motorpoint estimates that this could equate to more than 5.9 million car owners.
Drivers are also changing how they buy fuel:
- 36% are comparing prices more regularly
- 31% check online to find the lowest local prices
- 18% are prepared to travel further to use a cheaper filling station
For driver and rider trainers, rising fuel costs may affect both business overheads and learner behaviour. Some pupils may reduce lesson frequency, delay additional training or become more conscious of fuel use during lessons.
It also reinforces the value of teaching fuel-efficient driving techniques, including effective planning, appropriate use of gears, smooth acceleration and braking, and avoiding unnecessary idling.
Tim Rodie, Motorpoint’s resident driving expert, said motorists should reconsider automatically using the same filling station and compare local prices instead. He advised drivers to incorporate a stop at a competitively priced filling station into a journey they already intend to make, rather than travelling unnecessarily to buy cheaper fuel.
