If you ride a bike then it is unlikely that you understand the pain of putting the wrong fuel in your tank. The reason is that motorbikes run on the same fuel (unless you are riding an electric bike) which is petrol. However, it is different when it comes to motor vehicles. Motor vehicles run on two types of fuel. Petrol and Diesel. This difference is the cause of wrong fueling in the vehicles that have been affecting both drivers and vehicles on a large scale. Following we are going to discuss the major and common reasons that cause such mistakes.
New Drivers
As mentioned earlier, the concept of motor vehicles running on two different vehicles is new and confusing to those drivers who have only dealt with one fuel. Young drivers who either have always filled their bikes with petrol before them passing their full license can make such a mistake easily. Those new drivers must be educated about the difference in the nozzle colours and properties of those two contrasting fuels.
Borrowed Car
Sometimes you borrow a car from your friend and take it for a spin. When you get to the fuel station, you get the car filled with the wrong fuel in confusion. The common fuel that most vehicles use is petrol and most of the wrong fuel problems reported involve putting petrol in diesel vehicles. It is important that when you are lending your car to someone, you should let them know clearly what fuel the vehicle is running on and how to refuel it properly.
Car Rental
Car rental is a huge business that generates around 1.59 billion US dollars annually in the UK alone. It is inevitable that when such a large amount of people rent the vehicle on such a regular basis, they are bound to experience problems in their refuelling of the vehicles. It is a mutual responsibility of both drivers and car rentals to inform the drivers about refuelling and techniques to remember to put the right fuel in.
Attention Deficit
Sometimes you might be driving the same car for years and refuelling it on regular basis from the same fuel station. This becomes a routine and you do it without giving it a second thought. However, there comes a time when you are preoccupied with some thoughts and instead of picking the petrol you pick up the wrong nozzle and fill the car with the wrong fuel. You should always try to pay complete attention when fuelling your car as this could save you from any unexpected loss.
Forgetful Nature
Surprisingly, forgetful nature also plays a major part in the wrong fuelling statistics. Despite knowing the right fuel for their vehicle, some people just forget about it and put the wrong fuel in the vehicle. This could be avoided with some really easy steps such as placing a sticker inside the fuel filler cap to remind you of the right fuel.
Elderly Age
There are around 6 million elderly drivers in the United Kingdom alone that enjoy a full license and access to a vehicle. It is common for them to forget the fuel and put the wrong fuel in confusion. Regular checks with the elderly drivers about their current health situation can improve the statistics.
Misunderstanding
Believe it or not, drivers put in the wrong fuel due to silly misunderstandings. They borrow, rent or buy the car and think they know what fuel they should put in only to find out they were wrong about that. It is important to understand what kind of fuel your vehicle uses.
There could be many reasons for wrong fuelling but you must understand that you can eliminate all those reasons by paying attention when putting the fuel in. avoid distractions such as mobile phones or any other devices. Instruct the children to pause their activities while refuelling your vehicle. Be attentive when choosing and picking up the nozzle. Know the fuel codes and understand the colour codes of the fuel. You should ensure that you are paying your undivided attention to the task at hand. By just paying attention to this task, you can avoid a costly mistake.