In the last few months motorists have, no doubt, faced one of the most difficult challenges they ever had to deal with. This is particularly due to the rising cost of motoring, including car insurance, tax, maintenance and other miscellaneous expenses.

In a report at the weekend it was found that in a year this cost has soared by more than 13 per cent and by over 16 per cent within the last two years. Simply put, it will cost about £2,544 to run a car in Britain annually.

Last year, it only cost £2,240 - £304 less- and in 2006 on average drivers paid £355 less to have their car on the road. One clear reason for the astronomical rise in 2008, however, is that apart from the credit crunch fuel prices rose sharply and remained steadily expensive for several months.

Britain, being a part of the global network of economies, has only been naturally reacting to the crises and the impacts are what we are seeing today in every sector of the economy, including the cost of basic needs.

Factors that contribute to rising cost of motoring

Even as factors outside of the country or the motoring industry are often blamed for the increases, it is only fair that people try to look inwards for some of the causes. In this regard, we may wish to consider a number of issues.

The number of drivers evading car insurance in Britain is continuously rising and reports have put it that at least £500 million is lost each year as a result of this. Although it was recently announced that the government would soon introduce measure that would run car insurance cheats out of business, other motorist would continue to have the cost passed on to them in the interim. The implication is that costs would continue soaring, including insurance.

Residential areas or post codes could also affect one’s cost of motoring. Whereas people living in or driving through areas that congestion charges are due have this added on to their cost, those that do not live in such places or do not have to drive through automatically pay less in the end. In the same vein post codes affect insurance premiums. Islington in Central London, for example, attracts higher car insurance premiums.

Also, in areas that insurers rate as high crime the premiums could be higher and further affect the overall cost. On the contrary people in low crime areas pay less and this makes their total cost lower. The difference could be up to £40, which is quite significant given the fact that people are currently struggling with their finances. A recent survey named cities like Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester as high crime areas, while Lancaster, Durham and St Andrews were said to be comparatively safer. Motorist could do themselves a great service by seeking to lower their cost by means that are legally accepted. They could begin by shopping around for the cheapest car insurance around. Usually, taking their time to do this, even online, could help them find suitable options to choose from.

They could also try to avoid excessive speeding or avoid doing things that would consume more fuel than necessary. This would help in both lowering their motoring expenses and helping to reduce environmental pollution.

Motorists could also try to avoid risk that would result in frequent claims as this could affect both the premiums they pay and cause other charges, in the case of motoring offences.

Finally, switching to biking, sometimes, could substantially reduce your cost. Many people in London have chosen this option and are saving a lot of money on both car and bike insurance amongst other expenses.