Car parking prangs cost £1.5 billion a year

Car park prangs cost British motorists £1.5 billion per year, new research suggests.

A study revealed that 11 per cent, or 3.74million drivers, have seriously damaged their own car while looking for a parking space over the past 12 months.  

On average they have been left with a £396 repair bill to fix their car.

The research by SKODA UK revealed 40 per cent of drivers have hit a lamppost, tree or space divider in a car park.

Four in 10 of the 2,000 UK motorists polled also admitted they had accidentally hit another car with their door when they were getting out of their vehicle.

And over the past year the average driver has heard the painful sound of their wheels scraping against a kerb on two occasions – causing scuffs and scratches on their alloys.

Despite the number of motorists admitting to errors, 73 per cent regard themselves as good parkers.

However, just 53 per cent are confident they would be good enough at parking to satisfy an instructor if they re-took their driving test.

A spokesperson for SKODA said: ‘While many people feel confident in their parking capabilities the numbers show motorists have forked out significant sums in the last 12 months repairing their cars from parking mishaps.

‘The advanced technology on our cars means they no longer have to do the parking themselves’. 

The survey also revealed the tension caused by parking – with 19 per cent confessing to having an argument with another motorist or bystander because of a parking disagreement.

And 14 per cent have even temporarily stopped talking to their other half after having an argument because of a parking issue.

For the rowing couples this has happened six times on average over the past 12 months, with the silent treatment typically lasting for six-and-a-half hours.

One in five parents also said they’re frequently distracted by their children when they’re trying to park.