The recession has left a number of Brits cutting corners in a bid to save cash. More and more people are being found to have provided false information on their insurance applications to reduce costs, while others have staged car accidents in a cheap attempt to receive compensation for their 'injuries' through insurance firms.

But there are numbers of simple and legal ways to save cash and avoid making a claim on your car insurance policy without having to fork out thousands of extra pounds.

You and your car

With more Brits carrying extra weight on their shoulders due to the recession, motorists are failing to maintain their vehicles.

Tyre Pressure - According to ATS Eutomaster, a large number of Brits run the risk of being involved in a road accident by failing to check their tyre pressure before setting off on long journeys.

The group operations director of ATS Euromaster, Chris Hufflett, said: "It's a simple five minute job, but from our experience, the majority of drivers don't bother."

"[This] simple five minute job" could end up saving you from hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

Service and MOT - Furthermore, a number of motorists have failed to ensure they get their vehicles serviced in fear of having to fork out any repair costs. A recent survey by a price comparison website found that over 3 million motorists drive illegally with an expired MOT certificate.

However, this could prove to be more expensive in the long run. In the case of a road accident, you may find that your car insurance policy has become invalid. Not only would you need to pay out for damages caused to people and vehicles involved, you could also face a fine for driving without insurance.

You and the road

Potholes - At first we had the snow, the ice, and the cracks. Now we are left with nothing but potholes. And with more people worried about pothole damage, according to Kwik-Fit, motorists are turning to dangerous driving to avoid them.

The customer services director of Kwik-Fit, David White, said: "Potholes are like the mines of the road, with motorists doing whatever they can to dodge them. The huge rise in numbers since the winter means that millions of motorists are regularly making dangerous split-second decisions to avoid damaging their cars."

This is more likely to get you into an accident leaving you to ever the more likely to make a claim on your insurance policy.

You

Valuables - It is necessary that motorists hide any valuables they may have from the view of potential criminals. Slough police recently revealed that 250 reported car break-ins could easily have been avoided, had the owners of the vehicles taken their valuables out of the vehicle, such as sat navs, mobile phones, and laptops, rather than leaving them unattended.

Detective Inspector Nicky Hurdley said: "It is really frustrating to see that valuables are still being left in vehicles despite our repeated warnings."

Car keys - Furthermore, research from AA Insurance found that more thieves are now turning to car keys. "As these vehicles have more sophisticated security devices, immobilisers and alarms, the criminals are now targeting car keys to steal these vehicles," said a spokesperson for the firm.

Motorists should therefore protect their keys to avoid falling victim to theft.

Eating - Motorists caught eating behind the wheel may see their insurance premium increase by 40 per cent according to the AA.

Ian Crowder, of AA Insurance said: "We're all guilty of eating or drinking behind the wheel but the fact is it can be dangerous.

There is a direct correlation between those convicted of driving without due care and attention and fatal accidents."

Drink driving - Direct Line Car Insurance found that 1.3 million motorists have considered drink driving as a bid to avoid forking out on a taxi.

Maggie Game, the head of Direct Line Car Insurance, said: "It's worrying to see the number of people who would drink and drive because they feel saving a few pounds outweighs the risk to themselves and others."

It may save you a few pounds for a while, but in the long run, like everything else, it will cost you more.