Car insurance customers have been advised to ensure they take adequate safety precautions during the current climate of both the economy and the weather.

As dark nights draw in early and cold temperatures cause roads to ice up, motorists have been advised to ensure they carry out safety checks before setting off on long journeys to avoid accidents.

Esure car insurance had recently urged motorists to be prepared for the winter driving conditions throughout January.

January worst month for claims

The insurer revealed that January is the worst month for claims due to poor weather and high traffic.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at Esure car insurance said: "Winter is a notoriously bad time for motorists with January the most treacherous month for drivers. Motorists should take extra care, adapt their driving style according to the road and weather conditions, and allow extra time for each journey.”

According to the insurer, the worst five days for car accidents are January 18th-where the number of claims made had increased by 68 per cent, 12th December- which had shown a 60 per cent increase from the average number of claims, 19th December, 28th January and 3rd March which all show a 30 per cent increase in the average number of claims made.

Increase in insurance premiums

Failure to take adequate precautions, motorists may face not only a serious accident leading to damages and injuries of themselves or a third party, but could also risk paying higher insurance premiums.

Research conducted by AA has revealed that car insurance premiums have reached a record high and is expected to increase further over the year.

"Any claim - whether you're at fault or not - will affect your car insurance premium, so at a time when purse-strings are tight, safeguarding your precious no claim discount is crucial," added Pickard.

Recent news had revealed that the increase in the number of claims made could boost premiums by up to 10 per cent.

Director Simon Douglas of AA said: “I expect average quoted premiums to have risen by 10 to 12 per cent by this time next year.”

How not to save money

Yet due to the forecast for the economy to worsen, experts believe that the number of customers lying on their insurance application forms could increase further.

Car insurance customers have been warned of the importance of providing correct details on insurance application forms.

A woman had recently been fined £175 after being found providing false details on her car insurance application form.

As well as facing fines, in the event of an accident, your insurer can reject your claim if found providing false details or not providing relevant information on the application forms.