‘Worst date in calendar for car park crashes’ revealed as Brit drivers warned over chaos
THE worst date for car park crashes has been revealed as Brits have been warned over chaos this Christmas time.
With many of us scrambling to buy last minute presents and filling up our baskets with the latest festive treats the excitement of a merry Christmas can distract drivers from staying safe.
Leading insurer Admiral has spent 10 years collecting data that paints a less than cheery picture of the kind of car park carnage we can expect this winter.
And it’s the day before Christmas Eve that poses the biggest problems for Brits.
Admiral revealed that December 23, is the worst day in the calendar for collisions in car parks, with a whopping 46 per cent more accidents expected on this fateful day than any other typical day of shopping.
The lead up to Christmas is seen as miles worse than almost any other stretch across the year going by the data as December 20, 21 and 22, all feature in the top 10 worst days for car park problems.
Head of motor product at Admiral Insurance Clare Egan said: “Christmas shopping can be stressful, and our research suggests that car parks in particular present their own problems.
“Four of the ten days of the year we see the most car park collisions are in the week before Christmas, so it’s important to try and remain calm if you’re using car parks in the run up to Christmas.
Clare blamed the rise in problems on several different factors: ”More drivers trying to find a space, and the pressure to finish your Christmas shopping, can lead to tension and panic.
“Not only can that result in an unwanted car park bump, it can also lead motorists to potentially park illegally or inconsiderately when looking for a spot.”
Admiral has also been looking into how much it cost to park your car just to bring more misery to the lives of the unorganised among us.
Their data shows that local councils gave out 17 per cent more fines in December 2022 than in December 2021 with there being a good chance the trend could continue this year.
Drivers reportedly paid out a staggering £7.75million for parking related fines last year, up from £5.99 million the year before.
According to Admiral, the main reason drivers get slapped with tickets is for overstaying their welcome and staying out an extra few minutes thinking they’ll get away with it.
Millions of British drivers have been urged to undergo a simple check on their cars before hitting the road this holiday season.
Recent data from motoring expert Fixter has revealed brake issues are the main mechanical problem seen during the colder months.
Meanwhile, the ‘number one cause’ of breakdowns in the winter can be easily avoided with a check that’s usually completely free.
Elsewhere, it was recently revealed SMART motorways without a hard shoulder are three times more likely to kill or injure drivers, a new study has found.