The Green Insurance Company

Green Driving

Most people drive a car as it helps us live our life - commuting to work, visiting friends, going shopping, taking the kids on holiday.  I’m sure you know as well as we do, driving is not good for the environment. Understandably you like the freedom a car gives and you don’t want to give it up.  Well, greener driving is the way forward for you.  There are four easy steps, which will allow you to help the environment and your pocket;

  1. Reducing your annual mileage
  2. Driving a greener car
  3. Improving your fuel economy
  4. Offset your emission’s

Reducing your annual mileage

How many miles do you drive in a year?  You may not have thought about it but every extra mile you drive costs you more in fuel and maintenance.

If you drive 10,000 miles per year, this will cost you around £1,000 in fuel costs.*

Just think, cutting your annual mileage by just 10%, could easily save you £100 a year.   Even better news is that we reward you for driving less by giving discounts for lower mileage.

* This is based on fuel costing 94.9p per litre and an average fuel economy of 43 miles per gallon.  If your car  has a higher fuel economy, your fuel costs will be less. 

Driving a greener car

When you are next choosing a car, find out how green it is. All new cars now display a ‘green rating’ from A to G like the ones you see on fridges and washing machines.  A is the best and G is the worst. Greener cars have better fuel economy and will pay less road tax.  So think about the total cost of the car and not just the showroom price. 

Car emissions ratings

www.green-car-guide.com. top 10 low emission cars.

  • Toyota Prius Hybrid
  • Honda Civic Hybrid
  • Mini Cooper D
  • Volkswagen Polo
  • Toyota Aygo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107
  • Smart Fortwo
  • Saab 9-5 Biopower Linear 4dr
  • Ford Focus FFV (Flexi-fuel vehicle)

Improving your fuel ecomomy

The first way is to drive less but there are really simple ways you can make the fuel in your tank go further.  Wouldn’t it be great if every time you filled up your tank, it lasted longer. Well the good news is that it can – just follow the tips below and you’ll be seeing less of the petrol station and more of the road.

Some useful tips on using less fuel

  • Drive smoothly. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
  • The best time to change gear is between 2000 and 2500rpm
  • Use air conditioning sparingly. It can add as much as 14% to your fuel consumption.
  • The most efficient speed for fuel consumption is typically around 55 - 65mph.
  • Idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and increases emissions.
  • Check your tyre pressure regularly.
  • If you’re stuck in a traffic jam and not moving, switch the engine off unless its minus10°c
  • Accessories such as roof and bike racks significantly affect aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency – remember to remove them when not in use.

Buy a map or a satellite navigation system. Getting lost is a sure fire way of running up your mileage.

Offset your emissions

We explain this fully in the next section. Click here to find out more.