One in three motorists would drive off after parking scrape

If you hit another vehicle in a car park, would you own up?

Almost a third (32%) of UK motorists say they would drive away rather than admit they'd caused the damage.

The survey of 2,000 drivers by Euro Car Parts also found that men are more likely than women to 'smash and dash', with 36% saying they would, compared to 28% of women.

London is the city where drivers are most likely to hit another car and drive off, followed by Oxford, Liverpool, Glasgow and Norwich.

By law, you must stop and provide your details (or report the matter to police) if you cause damage to another vehicle in a car park. Ideally, this note should include your name, address, registration number and an explanation of what happened.

If someone hits your car without leaving their details, ask around for witnesses or check if there is any CCTV in the area which would have footage of the incident, and take photos of the damage caused. If you are unable to locate the party responsible, you will have to decide whether to pay for the repairs yourself or claim through your car insurance.

In either case, however, you should still inform your insurer.

Asked what irritates them most about parking, motorists cited expensive charges, tight parking bays and inconsiderate parking by other drivers.

Chris Barella of Euro Car Parts said the research underscores how challenging parking can be for motorists, especially in "cramped and busy urban environments".

"But whilst we can't control how narrow a parking space is or how badly other people park, we can make sure that our own cars are properly equipped to be able to park in inconvenient locations," he explained.

"By fitting cars with parking aids like sensors and reversing cameras, drivers can ensure that they're fully prepared for the stresses of urban parking."

Parking is an essential skill for any motorist and is included in the practical driving test, with new drivers expected to show that they can parallel park at the side of the road or park in a parking bay -- either by driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out.

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