It happens to careful drivers too. Here's how to handle running out of fuel safely and get back on the road with minimum fuss.
First, get to safety
As the engine falters, don't fight it. Signal, steer smoothly toward the hard shoulder or the nearest safe verge, and coast as far off the live lane as you can while you still have momentum. Switch on hazard lights immediately. On a motorway, get yourself and passengers behind the barrier if it's safe, well away from traffic.
On a fast road, your safety comes before the car. Don't attempt roadside repairs or walk along the carriageway. Get to a safe spot and call for assistance.
Work out how far help is
Once you're safe, open the map and find the nearest station. Knowing exactly how far it is — and whether it's open and has your fuel — tells you whether you can walk to a can of fuel or need roadside assistance to come to you. For EVs, find the nearest working charger with your connector and check recent status.
Getting moving again
- Breakdown cover: most services will bring enough fuel to reach a station, or recover the car.
- A fuel can: if a station is genuinely walkable and it's safe, a few litres will get you there. Use an approved container.
- EVs: there's no "jerry can" — you'll usually need recovery to a charger, so call assistance and sit tight.
After you refuel
Modern engines usually restart fine after refuelling; diesels may need a few extra seconds of cranking to clear air from the lines, and some require priming — check your handbook. Fill up properly at the next station rather than adding the bare minimum twice.
Make sure it doesn't happen again
The fix is simple: refuel at a quarter tank, not on the warning light, and plan stops before long or remote stretches. Treat the low-fuel light as "act now," not "a while yet." A little buffer turns a roadside drama into a non-event.
Ready to use it? Open the live map to find real stations and chargers near you, check their current status, and add what you see for the next driver.