Firstly, to be greener, you’ve got to take any unnecessary weight off your car. So remove roof racks, which can cause drag, and remove any bulky items you don’t need from the boot, such as buggies, tools or golf clubs. The lighter your car, the less drag and therefore your engine will have to work less so the less fuel it will burn. Open windows and sunroofs also cause drag, so keep them closed, too, when possible.

Another simple thing you can do to improve the efficiency of your car is to check the tyre pressure. Under-inflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by up to 3% (source: www.direct.gov.uk). So take a moment to top up with air, which is free at most garages, and you’ll spend less topping up with expensive and polluting petrol.

If your car has air conditioning, only use it when you really need it. Air conditioning relies on your engine working harder to support it, again increasing fuel consumption.

When buying a car, the choice you make can have a big environmental impact. Hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, use less fuel because they have an electric motor that helps the engine when accelerating. The motor recharges itself while the car is driving.

Another good tip is to look out for cleaner fuels, such as ultra-low-sulphur diesel or cleaner petrol (with low sulphur and aromatics). As an incentive to use them, the Government has cut duty on low sulphur petrol and diesel to make them less expensive than ordinary fuels (source: bbc.co.uk).

When driving, avoid accelerating or breaking too quickly. By driving safely and sensibly and keeping your distance from the vehicles in front, you can improve your fuel efficiency.

Also, don’t drive too fast. Not only is it dangerous, but the faster you drive above 60mph, the more fuel you use and the more pollution you cause.

However, driving too slow is not good either, in terms of fuel efficiency. In fact, traveling at less than 15mph creates the most pollution. Because of this, traffic jams are bad news in every way. You can help avoid them by making fewer journeys. One way you can do this is to combine trips: five jobs done in one trip is better for the environment than five separate trips.

And if your journey is less than a mile, why not leave the car at home altogether and walk or cycle? Reducing your journeys will save fuel and reduce your annual mileage, which in turn could reduce the cost of your Churchill Car Insurance.

If you do have to get in your car, for your own sanity and for the sake of your wallet and the planet, try to avoid rush hour or any other times when heavy congestion is likely. If a jam gets really bad, or you find yourself sitting in your car not moving at any other time, turn your engine off, as leaving it to idle will waste fuel.

Driving green will save you money and could reduce the cost of your Churchill Car Insurance. Get a quote now at www.churchill.com.