The number of drivers running out of fuel has risen sharply recently as soaring fuel prices make it more and more difficult to fill up.
Drivers are now ‘running on empty’ as they struggle to deal with record fuel prices, said the AA.
The association said that the number of breakdowns due to empty fuel tanks has been 11 per cent above average over the last seven days.
Many drivers are simply shopping around for cheaper fuel or not filling up if the price is expensive.
‘The record price at the pumps means that too many motorists are running on empty," said Edmund King, the AA president.
‘Some may be shopping around for a better deal but run out of petrol before they find one. Other drivers perhaps assume that the £30 they put in the tank will get them as far as it did two months ago, but it doesn’t. Motorists could follow our eco-driving tips to get that bit further but should never run on fumes.’
The AA gave the warning prior to the Bank Holiday as masses of people will take to their cars and breakdowns can cause massive congestion.
The average bank holiday road trip planned via the AA's own online routeplanning service is a total of 304 miles and fuel costs over the holiday period are expected to reach £760 million, 17 per cent up on last year.