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One in six drivers ‘bump parks’ their car

12th December 2013 Print

British motorists are facing a £1bn repair bill every year as a result of parking incidents and ‘bump parking’. Almost one in six (16 per cent) drivers admit to regularly ‘bump parking,’ allowing their car to knock into other parked vehicles or the curb when getting into or out of parking spaces.
 
New research from Churchill Car Insurance highlights that haphazard parking is a widespread and costly problem, with 16 per cent of drivers admitting they damaged their car or another driver’s vehicle whilst attempting to park in the last year alone. Of those who footed the bill for the damage themselves, the average repair bill was £328.
 
The findings indicate that some motorists are so uncomfortable navigating their vehicle into a space, they even actively avoid some of the most common parking situations. One in five (20 per cent) drivers say they avoid parallel parking when possible, whilst 17 per cent also avoid  parking their vehicle if another driver is watching. Eleven per cent of motorists avoid parking in multi-storey car parks and a further eight per cent avoid parking when it’s dark.
 
The study also found that many motorists have flouted parking restrictions to park in ‘easier’ spaces within the past year:

10 per cent have parked in parent and child spaces when they haven’t got a child
Nine per cent have parked on double yellow lines
Six per cent have parked in the middle of two spaces
Five per cent have parked in a marked disabled bay without having a blue badge
 
Steve Barrett, head of Churchill Car Insurance, said, “It could be down to a lack of confidence behind the wheel, or it could be that cars have got bigger and roads have become more congested, but for some reason motorists seem to be struggling with parking their cars. So-called ‘bump parking’ might seem easier at the time, but if it results in some damage to their car, motorists could end up counting the cost later.”
 
The likelihood and cost of damage from parking incidents and ‘bump parking’ is substantially higher amongst younger drivers, with a quarter (26 per cent) of those aged 18 – 34 admitting to ‘bump parking’. A further 29 per cent say they have damaged their car or another driver’s vehicle whilst parking in the past year.
 
Drivers in the capital are also at greater risk of damage caused by bad parking, with 26 per cent ‘bump parking’, and a quarter (25 per cent) causing damage to a vehicle whilst attempting to park in the past year compared with 16 per cent in the rest of the country.
 
Bump Parking Regional Breakdown:

Region % of drivers who are 'bump parkers'

London 26%
Yorks & Humber 25%
North West 17%
West Midlands 18%
East of England 15%
South West 14%
Scotland 11%
Wales 12%
East Midlands 13%
South East 12%
North East 13%

When questioned about the use of parking sensors, eight per cent of drivers said they had purchased a new car in the past year and requested parking sensors be added. A further four per cent have added sensors to their existing vehicles over the same period.