Drivers ‘ignoring car park etiquette’

One in 10 motorists commits car park offences including parking across bay lines, driving against the direction of traffic and leaving their vehicle in a disabled bay without displaying a Blue Badge.

SUV drivers are guilty of the worst car park etiquette, according to the survey for Direct Line.

Researchers studied more than 2,500 cars in UK car parks and found parking over the bay line is the most common ‘sin’ committed, with one in 16 cars (6%) spilling over the boundaries of their designated space.

However, with many cars (especially SUVs) getting bigger and spaces staying the same size, that’s not such a great surprise.

More than a quarter (26%) of cars parked in disabled bays were found not to be displaying a Blue Badge.

“Many of us are leading very busy lives and perhaps this may be leading to some motorists rushing, and in turn, parking across bay lines or failing to observe the direction of travel,” said Su Karki of Direct Line.

“This is particularly problematic when car parks are at their busiest, leaving people at greater risk of prangs as they meet traffic travelling in the wrong direction or are forced to park next to poorly positioned vehicles.”