One in six drivers "bump park" their car

• Bad parking cost motorists £1bn per year in repair bills
• A fifth of all drivers avoid parallel parking and 17 per cent avoid parking if other drivers are watching
• One in six (16 per cent) motorists have caused damage to a car whilst attempting to park in the past year
   

British motorists are facing a £1bn repair bill every year1 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:

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.

ENDS
 

Notes to editors:

1Opinium research interviewed a UK nationally representative sample of 2002 people, 15th – 18th October 2013. 

220 respondents indicated that they had damaged their car and/or another car in the past 12 months as a result of a parking incident. The average paid out (not covered by insurance) is £183 per person. 220 / 2002 = 10.99%. According to ONS figures (2010), the UK population is 50,317,000. 10.99% x 50,371,000 x £183 = £1,012,955,275.

For further information please contact:

Katie Pugh

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Tel: 0207 282 2914

Email: Katie.Pugh@citigatedr.co.uk

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.  

Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0800 200300 or visiting www.churchill.com