Woman punished for running out of fuel on bypass in Chesterfield area

Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit tweeted about the incident on the A617 at Temple Normanton on Tuesday afternoon.

Officers said: “Ran out of fuel, thought she had enough to get to the petrol station.

“Big risk to take on a busy road like this.

“Ticket. #DriveToArrive.”

According to this blog from breakdown service Green Flag, it is believed a staggering 70,000 drivers run out of fuel while on the road every month.

It adds: “Running out of fuel at the roadside is a bad idea for many reasons.

“For a start it can put you in unnecessary danger, stranded beside speeding vehicles.

“And depending on the kind of car you drive and its age, it could cause mechanical complications when you do get fuel.”

The blog adds: “It might be careless but it’s not illegal to run dry.

“In fact, the law cites it as one of the reasons you’re allowed to use the motorway hard shoulder.

“That said there have been cases where drivers have been fined £100 and given three penalty points for careless driving if they’ve needlessly run out, leaving their car in a dangerous position.”

The advice is simple – make sure you have enough fuel to reach your destination.