Discovery Insure’s data show that since petrol prices went up, drivers have cut their fuel costs by 35%.
Robert Attwell, Discovery Insure CEO, said the fuel total spend on March 30 and 31 increased by 81%, influenced by doubled fuel purchases before the price increase.
“This highlights how quickly people react. There was a strong push to fill up before the increase, driven by uncertainty and followed by a pullback as behavior adjusted towards the end of the month,” Attwell said.
“Fuel spend started to pick up slightly in the third week of April, showing that while people responded quickly to manage costs, they started to find a balance.”
The higher price of gas was a result of the war in the Middle East, which got worse and shocked the oil market around the world, especially after the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route, was blocked.
This made the price of Brent crude go up more than $100 (R1 662) per barrel and made fuel prices go up in the country.
The Strait of Hormuz has since been reopened, but only under strict conditions.
Change in driving behaviour
After the United Arab Emirates said last week that they were leaving the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Brent rose above $115 per barrel. It has since fallen and was at $109 per barrel on Monday.
In April, the price of petrol and diesel goes up by R3.06 per liter and R7.51 per liter, respectively. The government had offered a R3 per litre fuel levy cut to cushion motorists.
The data was collected on telematics and fuel reward card swipes from 200 000 clients, which showed that motorists cut down on fuel spending and fuel transactions also dropped by 28%.
Attwell said the analysis also showed a change in driving behaviour as it shows that distance travelled also dropped by 9% while trips were down by 10% in April.
“The data show a clear and immediate response to higher petrol prices. Even with the government’s effort to soften the impact by temporarily cutting the fuel levy by R3, consumers are driving less, combining trips, and being more deliberate about when they use their cars,” said Attwel.
More pressure at the pumps
The government maintained this fuel levy cut until June 2, as another fuel increase is expected on Wednesday.
Petrol will see a further R3.27 increase per litre while a litre of diesel will cost R6.18 more.
He said the SpendTrend report found that, although fuel spend has declined, it still makes up most of the transport costs.
More than half of the people surveyed said they use ride-hailing services more now than they did a year ago. This number rises to 70% for people aged 18 to 30.
Convenience and saving time were the main reason, followed by social trips, and 35% reported higher fuel costs.
“What we are seeing is not just a reduction in driving as petrol prices increase but an overall change in behavior.
“People are becoming more deliberate about how they move, whether that’s driving less, combining trips, or using alternatives where it makes sense,” said Attwell.
- Discovery Insure data shows drivers have cut fuel costs by 35% and reduced trips and distances driven due to rising petrol prices influenced by Middle East conflicts.
- A surge in fuel purchases before price hikes led to an 81% increase in spending on March 30-31, followed by a significant pullback as consumer behavior adjusted.
- Petrol and diesel prices increased in April by R3.06/liter and R7.51/liter respectively, despite a temporary R3/liter government fuel levy cut to ease the impact.
- Telematics data from 200,000 clients revealed a 28% drop in fuel transactions, 9% less distance traveled, and 10% fewer trips, indicating deliberate efforts to reduce fuel use.
- Many consumers, especially younger people, are increasingly using ride-hailing services and combining trips, reflecting a broader shift in transportation habits due to higher fuel costs.
Discovery Insure's data show that since petrol prices went up, drivers have cut their fuel costs by 35%.
Robert Attwell, Discovery Insure CEO, said the fuel total spend on March 30 and 31 increased by 81%, influenced by doubled fuel purchases before the price increase.
“
“Fuel spend started to pick up slightly in the third week of April, showing that while people responded quickly to manage costs, they started to find a balance.”
After the United Arab Emirates said last week that they were leaving the Organisation of the Petroleum
In April, the price of petrol and diesel goes up by R3.06 per liter and R7.51 per liter, respectively.
Attwell said the analysis also showed a change in driving behaviour as it shows that distance travelled also dropped by 9% while trips were down by 10% in April.
“
Petrol will see a further R3.27 increase per litre while a litre of diesel will cost R6.18 more.
He said the SpendTrend report found that, although fuel spend has declined, it still makes up most of the transport costs.
More than half of the people surveyed said they use ride-hailing services more now than they did a year ago.
Convenience and saving time were the main reason, followed by social trips, and 35% reported higher fuel costs.
“What we are seeing is not just a reduction in driving as petrol prices increase but an overall change in behavior.
“People are becoming more deliberate about how they move, whether that’s driving less, combining trips, or using alternatives where it makes sense,” said Attwell.
