As fuel prices are high nowadays, more and more Americans prefer to cut their driving expenses. One of the simplest ways is to drive less. Driving fewer miles is also a good opportunity to save money on auto insurance. Many car insurance companies offer discounts on vehicles kept in the driveway since people who do not use their cars very often are involved in fewer accidents and file fewer claims. Thus, insurance companies spend less money.

Americans Driving Facts

The Federal Highway Administration reports the following:

• American motorists drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June 2008 than June 2007. This data is considered to be the biggest June decline in the history. Which is more, all the previous eight months showed driving reduction.
• First four months of 2008 showed a drop of travel on all roads by 2.1%.
• According to California's Congressional Budget Office between 2003 and 2006, for every 50-cent increase in fuel prices, highway trips dropped by 0.7% in areas with adequate public transit.

Pay Less When You Drive Less

Many car insurance companies will offer discounts on vehicles that incur low annual mileage. If you take an alternate means of transportation to and from work, you might save money by getting an updated quote. The Consumer Federation of America reports that, this classification could save you 10 to 15% on your insurance, which is $94 to $142 off the average premium. Make sure to use this opportunity.

Public Transit Ridership Boom

Americans took more than 2.6 billion trips on public transportation in the first quarter of 2008, which is 88 million trips more than during the same time period in 2007, reports the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

APTA president William W. Millar stated in a press release, "There's no doubt that the high gas prices are motivating people to change their travel behavior... More and more people have decided that taking public transportation is the quickest way to beat the high gas prices."

Time Magazine reports that in San Francisco rail transit system many of the seats will be removed in order to open up more standing room. In Boston, the levels of public transport congestion are so high that passengers are begged not to use public vehicles during rush-hours.

So, moderate driving is not only an excellent way to cut transportation expenses, but also a good opportunity to get a discount on your auto insurance. If you're shopping around for an auto insurance quote, consider giving InsWeb a try. Logging on to InsureCarOk.com's online quote form is a great way to compare auto insurance quotes from top companies. It's safe, easy, and free.

Save extra money on your car insurance!