As if running out of fuel wasn’t bad enough, could you be further punished for not having enough juice in the tank?

We take a look at the consequences of ignoring the warning light and pushing on regardless.

when exactly does the fuel light come on?

Most vehicles will have a fuel light warning the turns on when you are running low.

It indicates that you only have 10% to 15% of a tank left and you need to top up.

besides being an inconvenience, why should i be fined?

It’s not only yourself that you need to think about – coming to full stop in a dangerous position could cause an accident and put other road users in danger.

If your vehicle is causing an obstruction, then it could be seen as careless and you might get slapped with a driving penalty for not pulling up somewhere safely.

Also, it could damage the vehicle itself, because the fuel pump keeps sucking even when it’s empty, dredging up all the muck at the bottom which could then clog your tank and might leave you with a hefty bill and possibly a new tank.

so can i get a fine for running out of fuel?

Indirectly, yes.

Running out of fuel in and of itself isn’t the problem, but causing an obstruction and stopping in the road could be both a financial fine and points on your licence.

If you cause an accident as a result then you could find yourself in court and facing a much tougher penalty and even more points for careless driving.

You probably won’t be able to use your insurance either, as most policies won’t cover running out of fuel and careless driving.