Drivers on Long Island know car insurance can be a hefty tax.

"Incredibly expensive to live, drive, to go shopping, to do anything on this island frankly," said Scott Mirsky, of Seaford.

The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles says there is a scam causing car insurance to be even pricier.

The DMV says staged car crashes are on the rise - situations in which someone intentionally causes a crash to collect insurance money.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, this is inflating the average auto insurance premium by $100 to $300 per year.

The DMV says if you are in a crash, never give money to the other driver, and call both the police and your insurance company.

Steve Stathis owns Apple Insurance in Brentwood, and says even without the scam, in the past two years alone, car insurance rates have skyrocketed.

Even with the high cost there are some ways you can save a little, like a defensive driving class.

"A six-hour course you can save 10% and it's good for three years so it's a good chunk of money," said Stathis.

He says paying a higher deductible up front can lower your overall costs.

The New York State Department of Financial Services has a list of ways you can get discounts and save money on car insurance.

You can find that information here: