Drivers are pushing gas gauge needles way past ‘E’ in an attempt to avoid costly gas station stops, but that is leaving more of them stranded on the side of the road with empty tanks and facing potentially costly repairs, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. The auto club has received 39 percent more SOS calls so far this April from drivers in the District who are stuck on the road without fuel, compared with the same time period in 2010. Those calls have also increased nearly 37 percent in Maryland and Virginia.
For the entire D.C. metro region, the average gas price as of Wednesday was $3.93, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic – or $1.05 more than the same time last year. “The sticker shock is forcing them to spend the same as they did last year on less gas, and they’re running on fumes hoping to make it to the next pay day,” said John Townsend, AAA spokesman.
But running out of gas in search of cheaper fuel may raise even more havoc with the family budget. “It can lead to fuel system damage that can cost you more in the long run. In fact, running on empty or running out of gas may cause the electric fuel pump inside the fuel tank to overheat. The cost to replace this one component alone can be $500 or more in parts and labor,” according to a AAA official.
Local towing companies have seen an increase in the amount of crews dispatched to help motorists fill their gas tanks.
Imran Jaffer, manager of Towing Pros in the District, said he’s also noticed an increase in calls for fuel delivery over the past several weeks. Rising gas prices could be a factor, he said, but so is the poor economy.
“It could be both, you never know,” Jaffer said. “With the economy, some people just don’t have enough money to fill their tank.”
Rather than push a vehicle to the brink, AAA officials say a less aggressive driving style is the best way to improve fuel economy. Every additional five mph above 60 mph is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon for gas, according to Ed Kriston, a mechanic with AAA Mid-Atlantic Automotive Services.
