Ohhhhhhhh dear! British motorists increasingly run out of fuel in 2014 having ignored a warning light or over estimated a vehicle's range, Liverpool Victoria claimed. The insurance specialist – that provides roadside assistance following a breakdown – said that 827,000 drivers were rescued last year compared to 777,000 during 2013 (+50,000). And it seems there were a couple of contributing factors. Firstly, 54% of the insurance company's survey participants said they have driven passed a petrol station when they required fuel in the hope of finding it cheaper. Secondly, 24% estimated a car can travel 40 miles once the low fuel light is lit.

But the latter is not necessarily true. The insurance company claimed that about half of the nation's “most common” cars fall short of the 40 mile expectation. It said the Ford Fiesta, for example, covers 37 miles once its fuel light is on. Other big sellers include the: Vauxhall Corsa (29 miles), Ford Focus (40 miles), Volkswagen Golf (42 miles), Vauxhall Astra (26 miles), Volkswagen Polo (39 miles), Audi A3 (42 miles), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (46 miles) and the MINI Cooper (45 miles). Such figures are only a guide as a vehicle's range is influenced by driving style, the weather conditions, traffic and how much weight it is carrying.

 

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