Car Insurance:

  

Tips and Advice

get a car insurance quote


Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Green Driving


Filling car with petrolLifestyles: Going Green


With road transport responsible for 88% of the UK’s harmful carbon emissions, any initiative you take to be more eco-friendly on the road is good news for environment – and, as an extra incentive, could even save you cash by helping lower your Direct Line Motor Insurance Premium

So, what exactly can you do, as a driver, to make a positive change?

Person driving and putting car into correct gearThe new role models


By choosing an approved eco-friendly vehicle you could help UK vehicle manufacturers reduce carbon emissions by 2009. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) operates a car ranking system, which lists over 1,300 cars – all of which must meet the Euro IV Directive on emissions.

The top three cars for 2005 are the Honda Civic 1.4 IMA Executive, the Toyota Prius 1.5 Hybrid and the Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi 16v Life, while it’s bad news for fuel-guzzling Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces!

To access the ETA guide, visit www.eta.co.uk or call free on 0800 212 810. Direct Line Motor Insurance quotes also take the type of car you drive into the equation - a new car with a smaller engine is one way to keep the cost down. Applying online is greener, too, and will earn you a discount of up to 10%.

Be high maintenance


This applies to new and older models. Ensure you have the correct tyre pressure and check your engine is properly tuned. Every 6psi the tyre is under-inflated, the fuel consumption increases by 1%. Add Firestone Fuel Saver Tyres (www.bridgestone-eu.com), and ETA-recommended batteries from Varta (www.varta-automotive.com). Plus, make sure your air filter is clean to cut fuel consumption further. Switching to an oiled filter, which is cleaned rather than changed, will also save paper.

Remember, the better care you take of your car and the less mileage you clock up, the lower your Direct Line Motor Insurance should be.



Mind how you drive


Don’t use the car for short journeys, and if your journey is less than half a mile then walk, cycle or car share. Liftshare (www.liftshare.com) can even help you find travelling companions. Driving between 50mph and 60mph means your emissions will be lowest, while driving over 70mph will rapidly increase them, by up to 25%. Harsh acceleration and braking also guzzle fuel, cause increased wear and tear on the vehicle – and on your nerves. Travelling at less than 15mph actually creates the most pollution – if you’re in the same spot for more than two minutes, turn the engine off.

To find out how going greener can lower your motor insurance premium visit our website at www.directline.com



Six more reasons why you should go green, fast:

  • Road transport generates more than one-fifth of all emissions of carbon dioxide in the European Union – passenger cars are responsible for more than half of these emissions (IEA).
  • An estimated 80% of journeys are under five miles – and 33% are under one mile (Transport 2000).
  • The average British commuting car has 1.2 passengers. If two car drivers shared a car they would reduce their overall pollution by 60 per cent (Liftshare)
  • If pollution continues at its current rate, global temperatures are expected to increase by 3-11% by 2100. (IPCC)
  • For drivers wanting a family car, buying a Toyota Prius rather than a Ford Mondeo could result in a fuel cost saving of over £630 a year, or over £50 a month. (FOE)
  • A recent survey showed the UK actually increased its carbon dioxide emissions by 2.5% in the first half of 2005. (FOE)
 
See if you could save... get a car insurance quote