A majority of Finns have changed their car use or their thoughts about driving due to increased fuel prices, according to a survey commissioned by insurance firm LähiTapiola.

The survey, conducted in early summer as petrol and diesel prices saw a dramatic rise, found 44 percent of motorists saying they had limited themselves to using their cars exclusively for essential trips.

About 14 percent said they had to cut back on driving because they could not afford it. Just a quarter of respondents said their driving habits had not changed at all.

On average, respondents estimated that they spend roughly 330 euros per month on driving expenses.

"The increase in the price of petrol and diesel coincides with many other disruptions in transport. It may be that this will hinder the transformation of our transportation culture into one that is safer, more economical and environmentally friendly," Tapani Alaviiri Director of Motor Insurance Services at LähiTapiola said in a company press release.

A broader survey by the insurance firm queried a total of 1,085 people in Finland between the ages of 15-79. Roughly 500 of the participants who said they had driven a car in the past year took part in the questions about the effects fuel prices had on their driving habits.

The survey was carried out by polling firm Kantar TNS and had a margin of error of three percentage points in either direction.