Skoda UK have released a startling piece of research which delves into the uncomfortable world of car-park collisions in the UK. The minor prangs that happen amongst the ever-tightening bays of supermarkets and shopping centres, leaving paint defects and hanging panels for innocent motorists to pick up the bill for.
Skoda have asked 2,000 British motorists about these incidents, and 40% said they have hit lamp posts, trees, space dividers or other ‘furniture’ when parking their car. Worryingly, and frustratingly, another 40% of the motorists polled confessed to hitting a neighbouring car with their door when trying to get in or out of their own vehicle.
Out of the 34 million people with driving licences in the UK, around 11 per cent have seriously damaged their own vehicle while trying to hunt for a parking space in the last 12 months alone. On average, each of these scrapes has cost an unsightly £396 to repair… which is tough to stomach.
Skoda have gone as far to say that in the last 12 months, the average driver in the UK has heard the chilling sound of their alloys being chewed up against the curb on two separate occasions. The stuff of nightmares, we’re sure you’ll agree.
In typical British fashion though, 73 per cent of the drivers polled believe that they are actually good parkers, even though the stats suggest otherwise. Interestingly, when asked if they think they could park adequately to satisfy a driving instructor, if they were to retake their driving test, only 53% were confident enough to say they would pass.
A spokesperson for ŠKODA 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. Driver aids, such as the Park Assist function on our Kodiaq family SUV, help reduce stress around parking and should see the number of parking prangs decrease so Brits won’t be hurt where it hurts most - in the pocket.”
Surely, with more cars than ever before having sensors, cameras, and even autonomous parking functions, these numbers should be decreasing? You’d like to think so, but it’s also worth noting that more people are buying SUVs and larger cars than ever before and your local supermarkets haven’t been widening their parking bays… unsurprisingly.
The research from Skoda goes on to state that 19 percent of the respondents to the survey confessed to engaging in an argument with other motorists or bystanders over parking a dispute. 14% admitted to having temporarily stopped speaking to their significant other over a parking dispute!
Perhaps we all just need to calm down a little bit? As always we want to hear your thoughts and stories in the comment section below.