More than half of motorists say the higher price of fuel will eventually push them into ‘buying a more fuel efficient vehicle’ or 'changing their driving habits’ or 'both', according to a recent British Car Auctions (BCA) survey.
One in 10 of the 4,000 motorists surveyed say they will change to a more fuel-efficient car if the price of fuel hits £1.50 per litre.
The report follows the OFT’s investigation into petrol prices (click here for the full story).
Tim Naylor, editor of the BCA Used Car Market report, commented: “Our research suggests many motorists are changing the way they drive to maximise their fuel efficiency.
“70% of car owners have already taken steps to cut their motoring costs, trying different ways to combat the financial pressures.
“These include altering the way they drive (17% drive more slowly to conserve fuel), avoiding heavy breaking (16%) and opting for more fuel-efficient models.”
Research conducted by BMRB* exclusively for the BCA Used Car Market Report also reveals that 29% of motorists are now walking more often, while 21% of car owners are cutting the number of car journeys as a response to the increased prices at the pumps.
*Consumer research by BMRB International, based on interviews with 4,000 respondents, representative of the UK adult population aged 17 years and over. Fieldwork for this research was undertaken during March 2012.
Legs11 - 01/02/2013 12:29
70% of all car owners have taken steps to reduce fuel costs - presumably the remaining 30% are fleet car drivers who don't care about fuel costs as their employer pays .....?! :-)