Drivers worried about their debt management issues are actively seeking ways to drive more efficiently and lower motoring costs a study has announced today.
According to figures released by the RAC, motorists are cutting back on their driving costs by using their vehicles less, opting for smaller cars and running just one car per family.
These cut backs have driven the average cost of motoring down by around 5% for Britain’s 30 million drivers, meaning the annual cost has shrunk by £123 to £2,219 a year.
Their figures suggest that the cost per mile to run a new car is 18.49p per mile, compared to 19.5 per mile in 2008.
Despite this, the research by RAC showed that eighty per cent of drivers actually thought that running costs for a car had increased, causing 45% of people to change their driving habits.
Of these, twenty per cent had started running just one car per household, saving an average of £229 a month. A further 28% said they were using their car less, with 6% switching to a smaller model.
The RAC’s motoring strategist, Adrian Tink, said: “We’re seeing motorists really question how they use their cars. The trend towards the one car family shows how people are prepared to make fundamental lifestyle changes for the benefit of themselves, their families and their pockets.
“But such change for a lot of drivers is still merely an aspiration, with practical difficulties caused by work and family needs or a lack of alternatives, such as inadequate public transport, stopping them in their tyre tracks.”
Ivan Cooper, Chairman at debt advice specialists Chiltern, said: “The most common reason given on this survey for people changing driving habit was to save money.
“Reducing expenditure in this way is very frugal, and can prevent debt problems from developing.
“For those who cannot reduce car usage for practical reasons, but who may be struggling with their finances, seeking impartial debt advice is usually recommended.”
